Sugar Plum Princess
by ActressCeCe
Summary: When orphan Ella escapes a living nightmare and then runs to her fear, could things possibly get worse? Could they even get better? Introduced to a world that she had no idea existed, her life changes drastically. A mix of love, pain, and comfort, tells the story of vampires and a certain human girl. Nominee for Energize W.I.P Awards "Most Promising Twilight Fanfiction - canon"
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Please give this story a chance. I plan on doing it in a series of chapters. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own twilight or anything to do with it. The only thing I own is Ella and the story line.**

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**CHAPTER 1:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"Come here Sugar," Riley slurred, obviously drunk, standing in the doorway of my room.

"No," I said. He could just get his fat, drunk ass to bed. I'd have to deal with the hangover in the morning which I was _SO_ looking forward to. **NOT.**

I was an orphan. Riley had found me last week behind a bar dumpster. He said he'd take care of me. Without a word I ran into his arms and he took me home. He had been nice at first, giving me food and clothes and a place to sleep. Then the next day he put me to work. I did what he told me without a complaint because, I mean, really? What choice did I have? To defy the man who helped me would have been extremely foolish. But then he started giving more chores like I was his servant. He treated me that way too; with no respect. Then two days later he started hitting, punching, and kicking me. I was covered in bruises from head to toe.

Riley pulled me from my thoughts when he suddenly yanked me from my bed and took me across the hall and threw me down on his own bed. Which smelled like beer and cigarettes.

"Take your clothes off Sugar," he slurred.

"No! Leave me alone!" I yelled. He couldn't be doing this.

He roughly took off my clothes and threw them to the floor.

"Spread your legs Sugar, let me touch ya," he said.

I yelled again and he pulled my legs apart. This wasn't going to happen. No way in hell.

Riley slid his hand up my leg to my pelvis. He spread me and slipped his finger in. I screamed in pain but it didn't phase him. God it hurt so badly. He took off his pants and spread my legs wider. I wanted to die.

"So...tight, you whore," he slurred, making absolutely no sense to me.

Tight? Whore? What did that even mean? He pulled out of me and was about to enter me again when I kneed him in the groin. Hard.

He collapsed on the bed and I jumped off. Wasting no time, I found my clothes, put them on, and ran out the door. I tripped on the stairs and sprawled across the sidewalk. I had large, bloody gashes on my legs, arms, and face. They hurt, but I didn't care about anything other than escaping. I got up and ran. Not realizing where I was going, I found myself in front of the huge hospital. I hated doctors but I needed help and needed to hide from Riley. With tears running down my face, I went inside.

The hospital was really busy so I was able to get in unnoticed. I found a dark, deserted corner and sat down. I faced the wall and rested my arms and head on my knees. I needed to think before getting help.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Seattle Hospital was packed. I don't recall it ever being this busy in my four years of working here. Not even when the tornado hit. I wasn't complaining by any means. I love my job which is to help people. It makes me believe that I am not just a soulless monster.

"Can you open your mouth for me please Elizabeth?" I asked the seven-year-old girl whose tonsils I'd removed an hour ago.

"Looks good. If everything stays as is you'll be able to go home in a few hours," I told her.

"Thanks Dr. Cullen," she said. She gave me a hug and a big smile.

"You're welcome Sweetie, now get some rest. I'll come check on you before you leave," I told her.

"M'kay," she said, already dosing off.

I left her room and went to grab the next chart when I noticed a man in dark clothes sneaking toward the storage area. Suspicious. With it being so busy no one noticed him. Humans often missed things that were unimportant at the moment. I followed him. He didn't notice me and kept walking, turning his head from side to side as if he were looking for something. I decided to intercede.

"Excuse me sir, may I ask what you are doing?" I called out. He seemed startled and looked worried. Interesting.

"I...uh...nothing," he said, sounding exactly like Emmett when he was caught doing something strange and was asked to explain his actions.

"Are you looking for someone?" I asked.

"Uh...yeah, yeah. I'm, a, looking for someone," he said, sounding unsure, making me wonder if he WAS Emmett.

Well, there was no one to find here.

"I'm going to have to ask you to leave. You have no business being here," I said. It was a _HOSPITAL_ for God's sake.

His eyes flared.

"Make me," he said menacingly.

"Oh I can't, but, however, security can," I said.

He apparently didn't like the sound of law enforcement. He left without another word. I shook my head. Humans.

As I started to walk back toward the main area, sniffling and the scent of blood alerted me. I turned back and walked almost to the end of the hallway. There, in the corner, was a small shaking figure.

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**A/N: Please review. Do not be afraid to tell me your thoughts. This is my first story and I want to make it as good as possible. As I said earlier, I will be telling this story in chapters. I'll post the next one very soon. I am halfway done writing it. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here is the second chapter. I can't believe I was able to update so quickly but I'm glad I could. My first two reviews gave me encouragement I think. I really can't come up with names for the chapters so if you have a suggestion it would be great if you could put it in your review. ( I look at and appreciate every single one!) This goes for Chapter 1 as well. Please let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight I just play with the characters.**

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**CHAPTER 2:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I saw Riley. He was here, in the hospital, looking for me. It was only a matter of time before he saw me at the end of the hallway and took me back to his house. I then heard a voice, calling out to Riley. I couldn't tell who the voice belonged to because the hallway was too dark but I heard his and Riley's conversation. Riley was only about twenty feet away from me now and I was about to start screaming. Then the voice said something that had Riley fleeing like a bat out of Hell.

The hall was then silent. I covered my mouth to quiet the noise as much as possible. Seeing Riley had just been too much. After what he'd done to me…I shuddered. I was still in pain and probably scarred for life. I was shocked. In just one week, my life might have been screwed.

"Hey I see you there. C'mon now, don't hide from me," said a smooth and soothing voice.

I immediately snapped out of my thoughts and looked up to see a smiling doctor. He was young, blonde, pale, and golden-eyed. I was a little bit startled; I hadn't heard him approach. I guess I was really wrapped up in my thoughts.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Cullen. What's your name?" he asked.

"E-Ella," I stuttered. Half because I was scared and half because he was inhumanly beautiful. It was hard to look away.

"How old are you Ella?" Dr. Cullen asked.

"Eight," I said, more strongly than the first time I spoke to him.

"Can you tell me what happened to you?" he asked.

Tears came to my eyes.

"I don't want to talk about it," I cried and buried my face in my arms.

"All right, all right. Hush, Child. We can talk about it later. At least tell me what hurts? I don't want you to be in pain," Dr. Cullen said.

"I just scraped my knees," I lied softly.

He didn't seem convinced.

"Okay then, we'll just get those cleaned up and figure out what to do from there," he said.

I sighed. He obviously caught my bluff.

"It'd be easier just to show you," I said, finally giving in. My cuts were really starting to burn and I didn't know how much longer I could keep my pain quiet.

"All right, Dear. Come with me and I'll take you to an exam room and we'll get you all fixed up, sound good?" Dr. Cullen said with a smile.

"Okay," I whispered.

I followed him to the elevator in which we went up to the top floor and he led me to an exam room. He walked to the table and patted the edge. I suddenly became very nervous.

"Come sit Dear," Dr. Cullen said, smiling warmly.

"No," I mumbled, and walked toward the door.

As soon as my hand touched the handle, I was gently pulled away.

"I don't think so," Dr. Cullen said.

He picked me up and carried me over to the exam table. I became more scared and started sobbing.

"Ella, relax. It's okay. This won't hurt. No ouchies for you today Darling," he said comfortingly.

He was talking to me like I was five. I was eight years old for crying out loud.

I unwillingly exposed all of my injuries. Dr. Cullen smiled at me reassuringly and said he'd fix it. He talked me through it and did the procedure rather quickly. It was nearly painless. Before I knew it he was securing the last bandage on my leg. It was over and I felt a lot better.

"All done Honey, you did great," Dr. Cullen said.

"Thanks," I said.

"Do you want to talk about how you got hurt?" he asked.

No, not really.

"Do I have to?" I asked.

"Not right now, I suppose, but I will need to know. I promise I won't tell anybody. Just know that you can tell me when you're ready and that I'm here to help, okay?" he said.

"Okay," I replied.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I wondered why Ella was so reluctant to tell me her story. It made me wonder if someone had harmed her or if her wounds were self-inflicted. I guess it really doesn't matter what happened, but that she was okay.

"I suppose I should get you to bed, huh Darling?" I said. She looked absolutely exhausted.

I felt the same way, but only mentally, of course.

I helped her down and led her to a room with a bed. My office was on the same floor. I would have to call and tell Esme that I'm staying at the hospital tonight. I've done it before. For some unknown reason, I felt the need to be near Ella. I had never became as attached to a patient as I was to Ella. She was the most insecure child I'd ever encountered. I noticed she flinched at every single noise and cowered when I moved toward her. I would have to be cautious of my movements around her. I had a feeling that it had to do with her past. I needed to know her background in order to help her. She just wasn't having that though.

"Get some sleep Honey," I told her before leaving the room.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW: **

I lay awake in the dark room. Even though I was absolutely exhausted, I couldn't sleep. It had been one frightening and stressful evening and I needed time to sort through it. I also needed to find the courage to tell Dr. Cullen what had happened to me. Coming up empty, I fell asleep.

_I was running. I ran faster than I ever have before. My feet pounded against the pavement and my lungs ached for air. I looked behind me but no one was there. I turned back around to see Riley standing in front of me, holding a knife._

"_Sugar," he said._

_Riley scraped the knife over my skin, making long cuts all over my body. All I could think about was pain. _

"_Sugar," he said again, and threw me into the ocean._

_Something crushed me instantly._

_And then there was darkness… _

My eyes shot open.

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**A/N: Please let me know what you think of this chapter. I don't know when I will post the next chapter but it will hopefully be soon. I also would like to thank my first two reviewers for giving me encouragement. As I said earlier, I need help with chapter names. Leave your suggestions and I will definitely consider them. Review, review, review! :) **


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Okay, here is the third chapter! It's quite a bit longer than the first two but I needed to finish with the hospital setting. I need it because it's important Carlisle/Ella bonding time. Again please give me suggestions for chapters. I am totally clueless. I'll shut up now so that you can read chapter 3 in Sugar Plum Princess.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. The only character I own is Ella. I just play with the other's.**

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**CHAPTER 3:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I looked wildly around the dark room. Light, I needed light. The dream was dark, leaving me afraid to be in the dark. I fumbled around until I found the light switch. I flipped it on and was instantly blinded. I braced myself against the wall as my breath came out in quick, ragged breaths. That dream was horrible and made no sense. It went from running from Riley, to Riley catching me, to him cutting me, to being thrown into the ocean, and finally being crushed. The ocean and crushing part made no sense. I think being left in the darkness was the part that scared me the most.

I sat down on the cold, hard floor. I was neither in darkness nor blinded by the light so I calmed down a little bit at that. I could see clearly and would be able to know if I was in danger. But the longer I sat there, the more scared I got. I realized that I didn't want to be alone anymore. That I _**couldn't**_ be alone anymore. I started panic, for there was no one around. I was way too chicken to go out and ask a nurse for help. I needed Dr. Cullen. If only he were here.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I really wanted to check on Ella. I had wanted to check on her a few hours ago but thought better of it. She was most likely asleep and I didn't want to risk waking her. The poor thing needed as much sleep as she could get. If she was really desperate, she would go get a nurse and the nurse would contact me. Though I had to pretend to be sleeping. No one thought it was strange that I stayed here overnight once in a while. I did have a half hour commute so my excuse was that I didn't want to make the drive home. My other excuse would be that my family went somewhere and instead of going to an empty house, I could stay here and help if needed.

My thoughts wandered back to Ella. I was guessing more and more about her story. She was not okay, that was for sure. She seemed…stressed? I knew that she had a case of whitecoat anxiety. I wouldn't be surprised if that was one of the reasons she was stressed out, but there was something more. I couldn't help but think that it was linked to her past. Whatever was bothering her would probably affect her eating and sleeping habits. I just couldn't stand it anymore; I had to check on her.

I walked to her room, hesitating outside the door. She was asleep and it probably wouldn't be good if she woke up. Even if I was absolutely silent, she could still wake up. Some humans just wake up if there is a person in the room. I stood outside her door and listened carefully. I thought I heard quiet sniffling. It was a possibility. I needed to know for sure so I cracked open the door.

I found that the bright lights were on and found Ella sitting in the corner. She looked up at me, her eyes red-rimmed. Oh no. I saw another tear slip down her cheek. Thank God I came to check on her.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I couldn't believe it. Dr. Cullen was here. It was like he knew I needed him. Without thinking, I ran over to him and jumped into his open arms. I remembered what happened the last time I did that and I struggled out of his arms. He let me go with a slightly confused expression on his face. He let it go, and offered his hand instead. I gladly took it.

"Honey, what are you doing up? It's two in the morning and the lights are on and you're nowhere near in bed," he said.

I looked down shamefully. I knew I was supposed to be in bed asleep but I didn't want to have another nightmare.

"Oh Honey, I wasn't scolding you. I'm just confused as to why you are up," he said concernedly.

I knew I would probably feel better if I told someone about it.

"I-I had a nightmare," I said and stuttered.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

"Yes please, if you're willing to listen," I said.

"Of course I'll listen Honey, I've told you before that you can talk to me about anything and everything," he said.

I think he was hinting about wanting me to tell him what happened to me but I couldn't be sure.

"Can we go sit on the couch?" I asked. I wanted him to be able to hold me.

"I have a better idea. Why don't we go sit in my office and talk? There is more than one couch in there and they're probably more comfortable than this one," he said.

"But I _want_ you to sit by me," I said quietly.

"Then I will sit with you. But either way, I think it would be good if you got out of this room for a little bit," Dr. Cullen said firmly.

He seemed to know exactly what I needed.

"Okay," I agreed.

We walked down the hall to his office. I was surprised at how close it was to my room. I wondered if he did that on purpose. He opened the door and gestured for me to go in. His office was pretty big. To the left, there were four large couches surrounding a coffee table, which held M&M's. There was nothing in the middle of the room except for five pictures on the wall. They were as beautiful as he was. I wondered if they were his children. Though his children looked like they could be in their teens and Dr. Cullen looked _way_ too young to have teenage children. To the right was a large oak desk with two chairs positioned in front of it. Behind it there was a black leather chair and two bookshelves. One was filled with books and the other filled with pictures. Neither had anything on the top. His desk was cluttered with charts and the computer was in the left corner. It gave me the feel that he was a very important person.

I sat down at the end of one of the couches and Dr. Cullen sat at the opposite end. It wasn't as close as I wanted but it was still comforting. Plus I wasn't one hundred percent sure that I could trust him yet so it was probably a good thing. I took a deep breath and told him about my nightmare. He listened intently and never once laughed. He didn't say anything until I finished telling him about it.

"So this Riley was the man you previously lived with?" he asked.

"Yes," I confirmed.

"Do you have any idea where he is?" he asked.

"Yes, I think he is still at the house," I said.

Dr. Cullen nodded and seemed to think about something.

"He was the man you saw yesterday in that dark hallway," I informed him.

Recognition flashed across his face.

"He was looking for you," he said tonelessly.

I didn't reply. It wasn't a question. Dr. Cullen had known that there was something not quite right with the man he had seen earlier. I should have told him who it was when we first spoke.

"Tell me about your past with him," he said.

"I really don't want to talk about it right now. I will tell you tomorrow though. I'm sorry," I said.

"Don't apologize Honey, that's perfectly okay. Just remember that when you feel like talking about it, I'm here to listen and help, okay? I'd say you definitely made progress today by telling me about your nightmare and who Riley is. I'm very glad you were able to share those things with me," Dr. Cullen said and smiled at me.

"Me too. I feel a little better now that I've talked about it," I said honestly.

I crawled over to him and he grabbed me and put me on his lap. Dr. Cullen hugged me tightly for a few minutes. It felt wonderful to be held.

"Well Honey, I hate to disrupt our hug but it's almost four in the morning. I'm getting tired so I'm sure you are beyond it. Let's get you back to bed and I will see you when you wake up," he said.

I let out a big sigh and he chuckled. He stood me on my feet and led me back to my room. He tucked me into bed and kissed my forehead.

"Sleep well Honey," he said and left the room.

I was out in seconds.

I woke up the next morning around ten o'clock. I stretched and looked around the room. It was actually pretty nice for a hospital room. I went to the bathroom and splashed water on my face. I was a mess. My hair was all over the place and I was in desperate need of a shower. There was one in the bathroom, but I didn't want to use it without asking. I needed to talk to Dr. Cullen but I had no idea how to get him. I'm sure if I went out and asked a nurse to find him she would. I just didn't want to do that though.

I decided it didn't matter and took a shower. When I got out, I opened the closet to find a set of clothes – hospital clothes. Ugh. I put them on and found a hairbrush and toothbrush. I cleaned myself up and went back out to sit on the bed and wait. Dr. Cullen would come eventually. I would wait an hour and if after that, he still wasn't here, I would go to his office. Now that I was decent I wasn't so embarrassed to go out of the room.

About ten minutes later, Dr. Cullen came in.

"Good morning Honey. I apologize for not being here earlier. I had to run home and change since I stayed the night here," he said.

"It's fine," I said. I didn't really care.

"How long have you been up?" he asked.

I looked at the clock.

"Only about an hour. I just got done cleaning myself up," I informed him.

"You look a lot better," he acknowledged.

I shrugged.

"Are you hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah, a little," I said.

"How about some cereal?" he asked.

"Okay," I said. Cereal sounded good.

"All right, I'll go get that for you," he said and left.

After I finished eating, Dr. Cullen asked me some questions about how I was feeling. I felt fine really. He said that he wanted to examine me but that we could do it later if I didn't want to right now. I told him later. I was going to put it off for as long as I could. After we played a few games he said he wanted to examine me now. I reluctantly agreed.

"Okay Honey, we're going to go back to the exam room you were in yesterday," he said.

When we arrived at the exam room, I started to get nervous again. Not as bad as yesterday but still nervous. But I knew that Dr. Cullen wouldn't hurt me and that I could trust him.

"All right Honey, come sit up here please," Dr. Cullen instructed.

I unwillingly obeyed.

"Honey I can tell you right now that nothing that I do today will hurt. I'm just going to give you a quick physical and we'll be done here, okay?" he said.

I nodded. Honestly it didn't sound too bad.

"I'm going to start by looking at your ears, eyes, nose, and throat," he said.

Dr. Cullen was really quick. It took no time at all.

"Now I'm going to check your blood pressure, temperature, and listen to your heart and lungs," he told me.

Again, he was fast. I really didn't have time to be nervous.

"The last thing I'm going to do is press on your tummy. Please lay down," he said.

This part had me shaking a little bit. After what Riley did to me, I didn't want anyone even _close_ to _that_ area. But, like everything else, it was quick.

"All done," Dr. Cullen announced.

Thank God.

"See? Now that wasn't so bad, was it Sugar?" Dr. Cullen asked with a smile.

I froze.

_**SUGAR**_

Before Dr. Cullen could catch me, I ran out the door and to the elevator. I pushed the button several times and it finally opened. I quickly closed the door and pressed the button for Level 1. I had to get out of here. Dr. Cullen didn't know what Riley had called me and if he did, I'm sure he wouldn't have said that. I was still shaking when the door opened. I burst out and headed for the door to leave the hospital. But then I stopped. Dr. Cullen didn't know his mistake and he would _never_ hurt me that way. I went back inside and went up to Dr. Cullen's office. He wasn't there but I sat on the couch and waited. He would come.

After waiting about fifteen minutes, Dr. Cullen came into his office.

"Oh Honey," he breathed when he saw me.

I immediately started sobbing. I felt horrible. I must have really worried him. He took me into his lap and held me tight like yesterday. After a while, I got myself together and looked up at Dr. Cullen.

"I think you need to know my story now," I said.

"Honey only if you feel ready. I don't want you to feel like you _have_ to do anything because you don't. You don't have to tell me anymore if you don't want to," he said.

He must feel really bad. He thought it was his fault that I went running out of the room and all over the hospital.

"Dr. Cullen, I want to talk about it. It's the only way you'll ever understand and maybe I'll feel better after I talk about it like I did yesterday," I said.

"I'm listening," he said.

"I lost my parents when I was four. I don't remember much about them but I knew that they were alcoholics and drug-addicts. They weren't able to care for me so they handed me over to my grandparents. They both died from a car accident when I was six. I was then on my own. I had to find food and shelter. The forest was my best and only friend. I was on my own for until eight days ago when I was sitting behind a bar dumpster. Riley saw me and took me into his care. At first it seemed like he actually cared about me but it turns out he didn't. He abused me and raped me. He called me "Sugar" when he did it and also in my dream that I had last night. Riley really screwed up my life worse than it already was that one night, let alone that week. I'm afraid that this is going to haunt me forever," I said.

After I told him, I felt a little lighter.

"Oh Ella, I had no idea. I am _so_ sorry Honey. If I had known, I wouldn't have called you that," Dr. Cullen apologized, for both calling me Sugar and for what happened to me.

"It's fine really. I actually feel better now that I told you. I also realized that you would never hurt me and that you actually care about me. Riley didn't so I know what actual caring is and what lying about caring is and you're not lying. You are the first good thing that's happened to me in my entire life. No joke. Dr. Cullen, you truly are my hero," I said.

"Honey of course I care about you and I would _never_ hurt you. Ever. I think of you as more than just another patient. You, Honey, are very special," he told me.

There was silence. I think we were connected on a whole new level. He thought of me as more than just a patient and I thought of him as more than a doctor. I thought of him as like a father of some sort.

"I'm guessing that you probably have questions about my past. You are a doctor, after all," I said.

"A few," he said and chuckled.

"Ask away," I said.

"Riley raped you?" Dr. Cullen asked.

I was expecting this one.

"Yes," I said.

"Honey, I'm going to need to do an exam. We'll do that this evening, okay?" Dr. Cullen said.

"Yeah. I want to know that I'm safe," I said. There was no nervousness now. I trusted him.

"Last question. Is there anything else that I should not say or do? I don't want to upset you," he said.

"Just don't call me that name and I'd appreciate it if we didn't talk about this a lot. But other than that, nope," I told him.

"All right. Do you want to talk about anything else or can I give you one last exam?" he asked.

"Yeah, that's fine. I want to get it over with," I said.

"My brave little girl," he said and smiled.

We went back into the exam room. I was determined not to run away again. This was important and necessary. I didn't want to have a disease or anything. Dr. Cullen put me on the exam table.

"Just a quick peek, all right?"

As long as it was quick, I didn't care. It was over in minutes.

After the exam, Dr. Cullen took me back to my hospital room. He brought me dinner and then told me to go to bed early. He spent some time just playing with me, and then insisted that I go to bed at eight-thirty.

"Goodnight Honey, I love you," Dr. Cullen said and kissed my forehead.

"I love you too," I said and went to sleep.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I got Ella to bed and then went to my office. I thought about her for a little bit before I left. Her story was shocking and tragic, to say the least. I would have to be extra gentle with her though. But now I felt we connected better than before. I understood her and she knew that she could trust me. I just didn't know what I'd do with her when she didn't need to be in the hospital anymore. I would not let her go into the foster system after what she'd been through but I couldn't let her be on her own. I also knew that I couldn't just take myself out of her life. According to Ella, I'm the best thing that happened to her. She had a permanent tie to me now.

Befuddled, I got into my car and drove home, where my lovely wife was awaiting my arrival. I got home and prepared myself to go inside. I was so happy that all of the kids were out hunting for tonight. I needed alone time with Esme. We had quite a lot to discuss. I walked up to the house and went inside.

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**A/N: I hope you liked chapter 3. Of course please review and let me know what's good and what's bad. Ella will be leaving the hospital soon but that's all I'm going to say about what's coming in the next two chapters. Maybe one depending on how long I make it. I don't know if you noticed this but I am making Ella sound very mature for an eight-year-old. I did this because Ella is supposed to be sort of a younger version of Bella. In Stephanie Meyer's books, Bella was always very mature for her age. So yeah, if you're wondering that's why Ella doesn't sound like your average eight-year-old. Please review! :) **


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: This is Chapter 4 of Sugar Plum Princess. This is the longest chapter I have done yet and it is pretty good, if I do say so myself. I would like to thank all who reviewed the previous chapters and I hope you do the same for this one. I also want to say that there will be a sequel to this story once I finish it. I'm not sure what I'll title it and this story has just begun but I thought I'd just put that out there. I've been fortunate enough to be able to update everyday so far but I can't promise that will continue. I'm getting really busy with school and all. I'll try to update at least once a week. Luckily it's the weekend so I should be able to get two more chapters up. Anyway here is Chapter 4.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. I just play with the characters and change the storyline.**

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**CHAPTER 4:**

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Esme was at the door waiting, as usual.

"Welcome home, Carlisle," my wife said.

I kissed her hello.

"I'm sorry I didn't come home last night. It won't happen again for a while," I told her. I knew she got unhappy when I didn't come home after the usual twelve hour shift.

"Carlisle, you know that I don't mind. I'm sure you had a good reason for it. I do expect you to tell me though, for you to put something at the hospital over me must be a big deal," she teased.

"Oh it is," I told her.

"Well why don't you go put your bag in your study and come meet me in our bedroom and you can tell me all about it," she suggested.

"I'll meet you there, my love," I said and ran upstairs to my study.

I went into the bedroom to find my lovely wife sitting on the swinging loveseat It was our favorite place to talk and cuddle. Besides the bed, of course. I walked to the chair and picked her up, swinging her legs over mine as I sat down.

"Tell me about it, I want to know every single detail," she said.

"I have a new patient named Ella. She's eight and was abused and raped by the man that previously took care of her. Before that she had been placed with her grandparents after her parents gave her up. She was left on her own for two years after they died. Then she met a man named Riley eight days ago. She came to the hospital yesterday, severely damaged. I took care of her and now she is recovering from all her past trauma. I talked to her and now we connect on a level I can't explain. She said that I was her hero and she trusted me with her life. I knew right then that I couldn't just take myself out of her life. She won't need to be in the hospital for much longer and I am unsure about what to do with her. After what she's been through, I don't think getting her into the foster system would be a good idea," I told Esme. She was quiet and thoughtful for a minute.

"I guess that leaves only one option; we have to adopt her," she said.

"Adopt her? Are you sure about that? I would love to have her in our family but we are vampires. Would that be good for her?" I questioned. It would be wonderful to adopt her but I just didn't think it was possible.

"Carlisle, I think she'd handle it just fine. From what you've told me, she sounds like she's very mature for her age so I think she'd understand. Plus I don't see any other option, do you?" she asked.

I didn't. She had me. I smiled at her.

"You sure have a way of getting what you want," I told her.

"By this time tomorrow, I expect to have six children," she said sternly.

"You will. I will bring her home tomorrow if she agrees. And, speaking of children, they are about to burst through the door and I think we should tell them sooner rather than later," I said.

"You're probably right, let's call for a family meeting in the dining room. Good thing we have eight chairs, too," she smiled.

Just then, the kids bounded through the door.

"**WE'RE BACK!**" Emmett yelled obnoxiously.

Esme and I looked at each other and rolled our eyes before going downstairs to have our family meeting.

"Hello, my wonderful children. Please come to the dining room table for a serious family meeting," I said.

They all looked puzzled.

"What did you do_** THIS**_ _**TIME**_ Emmett?" Edward muttered, irritated.

"Nothin! I've been good all week!" Emmett said defensively.

"This time Emmett has nothing to do with it. This is a positive family meeting," I said.

"What's going on Carlisle?" Jasper asked.

"Let's go sit at the table and I'll tell you," I said.

We all filed into the dining room and sat down at our usual places. We didn't use the table for anything other than this. But that might change. First I told them Ella's story.

"So you're thinking of adopting?" Alice asked excitedly.

"I want to, but I needed to check with you kids first. This is a life-changing decision, after all," I said.

"I'm not against it, but do you think that it's a good idea? I mean, we're not human," Rosalie said.

"The Volturi…" Edward trailed off.

"Yes, I've considered that. But really, where else will she go? I don't want to enter her into the foster system. Your mother and I want to adopt her, which brings me to the vote," I said. I started at the left, skipping over the one empty chair that would hopefully belong to Ella.

"Rosalie?" I asked.

"Yes," she said simply.

"Alice?"

"Yes! I would love a little sister!" she said, bouncing in her seat.

I looked to the other head of the table.

"Esme?" I asked.

"You know I do," she smiled.

"Jasper?"

"Yeah," he said, trying to hide a smile. I had no idea what for.

"Emmett?"

"Hell yes!"

Finally, I turned to the unhappy looking boy on my right.

"What about you Edward?" I asked.

"No, it's too dangerous. The Volturi…" he was cut off by Rosalie.

"Edward, all you do it worry about the Volturi. It's the same reason why you won't get a girlfriend. This child has no family and you don't want to let her in? God Edward, quit being so damn selfish all the time," Rosalie said with a flip of her golden hair.

Edwards temper flared.

Before he could get going, I quickly made an announcement.

"Then it is settled, I will bring Ella home when I get done with work tomorrow," I stated.

Everyone cheered except for Edward, who stomped off to his room. I was surprised he didn't break anything on the way. I would have to talk to him later. Clearly he didn't want this. Just because he was outvoted, didn't mean that I would simply ignore his feeling. I didn't want anything about our family relationship to change.

Everyone separated. The girls went about making a room for Ella and buying her clothes. Emmett and Jasper played Wii and I went up to Edward's room. Hopefully his temper had decreased and I could talk to him without him yelling or breaking something. I hesitated outside his room, waiting for the okay. When he didn't say anything, I knocked on the door.

"Come in Dad," he said.

I smiled. All of my kids had called me Dad at some point, even Jasper. Emmett and Alice almost never called me Carlisle.

"Are you okay Son?" I asked.

"Yeah. I've thought about it and I know that Ella deserves a family like this. I now change my answer to yes. I'm sorry I was being selfish," he said.

I laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Son, you weren't being selfish. The others may think you were but that wasn't your intent. You were giving your opinion and I want this family to know that it's okay to say what you believe. I would _never_ judge you for how you feel. I just came here to make sure that you felt understood because I do understand. I know you want what you think is best for this family you think that adopting Ella will endanger our family. It may but we're willing to deal with it. We'll keep it from the Volturi as long as we can. Trust me Son, you have nothing to worry about," I said.

"Thanks Dad. I feel more comfortable about the whole thing now," Edward said.

"Do not be afraid to tell me what you think about anything, big or small," I said before leaving his room and going to my study. I had a few things to do if I was going to bring Ella home tomorrow.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up around nine the next morning. I got cleaned up and changed into fresh hospital clothes. I was so sick of these. I wondered what I would do when I couldn't be at the hospital anymore. I started to worry about that when Dr. Cullen walked into the room.

"Good morning Honey, did you sleep well?" Dr. Cullen greeted me.

"Yeah," I said.

"I brought you breakfast," he announced.

"Thanks."

As I ate, Dr. Cullen told me about his family. He had a wife and five kids. I already knew what they looked like because I saw the pictures in his office. I didn't know why he was telling me about them. Maybe just for something to talk about. He took the tray away when I was finished and set it outside the door so it could be picked up. He sat down on the bed with me.

"Sweetie, there is something we need to take care of before you leave the hospital. I want you to be as healthy as possible throughout your life and I want to make sure that you're protected. You have had no vaccinations in previous years and you need to be up to date. After I vaccinate you, I will tell you the surprise that I have," Dr. Cullen said.

I let this sink in. I may not have had shots before but I knew that they hurt. I didn't want them. Not one bit. But I did want to know what the surprise was.

"I don't want shots," I whispered. A tear streaked down my face.

Dr. Cullen wiped it away.

"I know you don't Sweetie, but you need them. I promise you ice cream when we're done. That goes along with the surprise," he said.

"How many?" I asked.

"Only six. I combined them as much as possible. I'll be really quick and you'll never have to get shots again in your life except for flu shots or if they develop a new vaccine. It won't be too bad," he said.

"Can you do it in here?" I asked.

"Yes, if it makes you more comfortable then I can," he answered.

He left to retrieve the shots. I tried to calm down but I ended up getting more worked up. When Dr. Cullen returned with a tray of needles, he took in my sobbing form and sighed. He came over and sat by me again.

"Sweetie, it's okay. It won't take long and it won't hurt that bad. I know you're scared and that's okay. Just remember that I'm here to help you, not hurt you," he said comfortingly.

"Ready?" he asked.

I nodded. He wiped off my arm and faster than I thought, I was poked six times. It was very painful, but I had nothing to compare it to. He bandaged the area and held me while I cried. He said words of comfort here and there but was mostly silent. When I was calm, he went and got me ice cream. It was delicious. When I finished, Dr. Cullen sat me on his lap again.

"Sweetheart, you know that you can't stay at the hospital forever. I'm guessing that you don't want to either. I care about you and love you more than you could ever know. I've talked it over with my family and we agreed that we wanted to take you in. Please, Sweetheart, let me adopt you?" Dr. Cullen asked.

It took a minute to sink in, and then I was shocked. He wanted to _**adopt**_ me? I was so happy! I was so worried about what would happen when I was done here and then it all just went away!

"Of course you can adopt me! You really want to?" I asked excitedly. It sounded too good to be true.

"I promise you that you will be sleeping in a real bed tonight," he said and smiled.

"Yay!" I shouted.

He chuckled and ran his fingers through my hair.

"I love you, you know that?" he said.

"I love you too," I said.

It was only a half hour till Dr. Cullen's workday was over. I couldn't wait. He gave me some clothes that he said his wife had bought for me yesterday. They were simple, just jeans and a blue T-shirt with silver sequins on it. As soon as the clock turned to seven, Dr. Cullen led me out of the hospital and to his car. It was a black Mercedes. The drive to his house was a half hour. Neither of us said much.

The house was the most beautiful house I'd ever seen. The walls were mostly glass and the house was three stories tall with a basement. I couldn't believe that this was where I would be living until I was eighteen. Ten years.

"It's so pretty!" I exclaimed.

Dr. Cullen chuckled.

"My wife will love to hear that," he said.

As we walked to the door, I thanked him again.

"Thanks for adopting me, Dr. Cullen, "I said gratefully.

"It's a pleasure Ella, and, please, call me Carlisle. I'm not just your doctor anymore," he said.

"Okay…Carlisle," I said.

We went inside.

"Hello Ella, I'm Esme, Carlisle's wife, do you need anything?" she asked.

"Hi Esme, and I'm fine thank you."

"Just let me know," she said.

They took me to the living room where their five kids were. I was greeted by a chorus of "Hello Ella".

They introduced themselves one by one.

"I'm Rosalie."

"I'm Emmett."

"I'm Alice."

"I'm Jasper."

"I'm Edward."

"These are your siblings, they're all adopted too," Esme said.

"Welcome home Sweetheart," Carlisle said.

I was given a tour of the house and shown where my room was on the third floor. It was perfect. The walls were alternated neon blue and pink and the floor was light-colored wood. There was a neon pink, fuzzy rug in the middle of the floor. There was a raised portion with a closet and a vanity and my own personal living room with a seventy-inch flat screen TV. All of the furniture was white. The bed had white bed posts and the bedset was a mix of neon blue and pink. It screamed Ella.

Carlisle and Esme sat on one of the couches with me in the middle. They said they had to tell me something important and that I had to keep it a secret.

"We're vampires," Carlisle said.

I instantly believed him. He told me that everyone in the house was a vampire except for me, of course. They told me things like that they never aged, could move really fast and were incredibly strong, and much more. They also told me that they only drank blood from animals in the forest, not humans. They were good vampires. I didn't have any questions right now but they told me that if I ever did, I could ask anyone in the house. I told them that I accepted them for who they were, just like they accepted me for who I was.

"Do you want popcorn for a bedtime snack?" Esme asked me while we sat in the kitchen. Carlisle wasn't with us.

"Yes!" I said happily. She laughed and started making it. Once it was done and had the perfect amount of butter and salt on it, she gave it to me.

Then Carlisle walked into kitchen.

He looked at my snack then said, "I don't approve."

"Oh well. Esme said I could and you can't take it away. And besides, _**you**_ didn't exactly offer me a snack," I sassed.

The sound of six people laughing filled the room.

Carlisle just stared at me.

I stuck my tongue out, which caused more laughter.

"She sounds like Rosalie," Jasper laughed.

More laughter.

Carlisle and I stared each other down.

"Uh, Dad? I don't think you're going to win. And she _**does**_ have a point, you didn't offer her a snack," Alice said.

"And it's not like you can cook worth crap either. You haven't eaten in like what, three hundred and fifty years?" I said.

Alice fell over and everyone else held on to something. Emmett was sliding down the wall.

I'm sure if Carlisle could have blushed, he would have. He left without another word.

"Lesson learned: don't mess with Ella and her popcorn, " Emmett said.

Now it was my turn to blush.

Everyone was on the floor. I started laughing too.

After a few minutes of nonstop laughter, we pulled ourselves together.

Everyone went off into different directions except for Esme, who stayed with me while I ate my popcorn.

"I like this girl," Edward said as he left.

Rosalie came over to me and put her hand on my arm.

"You and I are going to be great friends," she said.

Then I was alone with Esme.

"I wasn't out of line, was I?" I asked. I knew I was sassy, but I wanted to make sure I wasn't _too_ sassy.

"No Honey, that was perfect. He hasn't been sassed in a while. Personally, I think it's good for him. You impressed everyone else, that's for sure," she said.

I shrugged.

"It's a talent."

She laughed.

After I finished my popcorn, I took a shower and got into a hot pink pajama set. I brushed my teeth and went to find Esme. She was still in the kitchen.

"Goodnight Esme," I said.

"Goodnight Sweetie, sleep well," she said and kissed my forehead.

"Goodnight Emmett, Jasper, Edward, Rosalie, and Alice!" I yelled.

"Goodnight!" they chorused.

"Do you know where Carlisle is?" I asked Esme.

"He's in his study," she told me.

I remembered where his study was from the tour I had earlier. The house was huge. At least I have a good memory.

I crept up to the second story to Carlisle's study. I knocked on the door.

"Come in," he sighed.

He stared at me for a minute, obviously because of the popcorn argument.

"I love you," I grinned.

"Just go to bed, please," he begged.

I giggled. I would have to try again tomorrow. He would get over it…someday.

I went up a flight of steps to my room. I looked at it one last time before turning out the light. I lay awake, thinking about my life. It was sucky, and then it got even worse, then it slowly started getting better, and now it was great. I'd do it all again if I got to be with the Cullen's for the rest of my life. I liked my new name. Ella Dixie Cullen. It sounded perfect. I wanted to call Carlisle and Esme Mom and Dad but I figured that it was a little too soon for that, they might not want that so quickly. I would have to ask one of my siblings about how long it was before they called Carlisle and Esme Mom and Dad. I also liked the idea of having siblings, someone to play with. I have always been a smartass so I could joke around with them. It sounded like I was going to be good friends with Emmett and Rosalie. Rosalie and I were a lot alike. And I'm sure that the more I get to know her, the more similarities I would find. I'd give anything to have been born into this family. But that wasn't possible. I couldn't dwell on what could've been, I had to think about what could happen in the future. Actually, I was perfectly content with just being in the present. All I had known in my past was fear, and pain. But Riley didn't scare me anymore. Not when I had a family protecting me.

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**A/N: Thanks for reading. I hoped you liked the popcorn part because that's my favorite part of the chapter. It just popped into my head and I thought it was a good idea and it would add a little humor. Don't forget to review! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Chapter 5 is finally finished. It took longer because I wanted to do three days in one chapter. The rest of the chapters probably won't be as long as this one is. I thank you for reading and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or Hollister or Nintendo or any of the other things mentioned in this chapter. All I own is the idea for the storyline and Ella. **

* * *

**CHAPTER 5:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up and looked around my new room for a few minutes. It was absolutely perfect. I couldn't believe that I was living with the Cullen vampires. They were literally something out of a fairytale. Speaking of Cullen's and vampires, someone knocked on the door.

"Ella? Are you awake? It's ten-thirty and Carlisle said that you are usually awake by nine when you went to bed later than you did last night," Esme said through the door.

"Yeah I'm up," I said.

"Okay. Why don't you get dressed while I go make pancakes? There are plenty of things to pick from but we can go shopping if you think of anything you need," she said.

I perked up at the idea of shopping. I would ask Esme if we could go later this week. I would try to think of things I need and find a way to get some things that I just want. I'm sure she'd let me get a few things. I put on a blue sweater-dress with black leggings and a matching headband. I found black ankle boots to go with since it was towards the end of November. After fixing my hair and brushing my teeth, I went downstairs to the kitchen to find Esme cooking away.

"Smells good Esme," I said.

"Maybe to you," said Alice who was watching Esme. She seemed fascinated.

Since it would be a while till they were done, I went looking around the house for the rest of my family. I found my brothers in the living room playing Wii. I said hello and went to find Rosalie. She was in her bathroom, putting on makeup.

"Can you put some on me?" I asked.

"Sure. Come sit on the counter," she said.

I jumped up and waited for her to get everything together in a pile.

"Okay, let's start with foundation," she said and applied it to my face.

After she had done my foundation, eyeliner, eyeshadow, mascara, blush, and lipstick, I went back downstairs.

"You get all ready and you still have to eat? You'll mess up your makeup," Esme said.

"I'll eat carefully," I said.

I finished breakfast and looked all over the house for Carlisle. I couldn't find him anywhere, not even in his study. I went back to Esme.

"Is Carlisle avoiding me on purpose?" I asked Esme.

"No, he's just at work. Luckily it's Friday and he doesn't work on weekends so you'll get to spend time with him tomorrow and Sunday. And of course every day after work," she said.

Oh, right. He had to work. I wondered if he was still mad at me about yesterday. I was starting to feel bad. I just couldn't help myself when he said that he didn't want me to eat something so delicious like popcorn. At least I got laughs out of everyone else.

I spent the day with my brothers. We played Wii from noon to seven and when Carlisle got home, we were currently playing Mario Kart. I was Princess Peach, Emmett was Bowser, Jasper was Luigi, and Edward was Wario. Carlisle came in to see us yelling remarks at each other. He took one look at me and sighed. I didn't know why but then I realized it was probably because of all the makeup I was wearing. I owed him some time with me. I finished the race then went to Carlisle's study.

I went in without knocking; he would know I was here. He was sitting at his desk in a black leather chair reading. This office was very similar to the one at the hospital but it only had two big couches and one wall was entirely glass, one filled with bookcases full of books , and two filled with dozens of old paintings.

"Hi, welcome home Carlisle," I said and walked in front of his desk.

"Hello Ella, can I help you?" he asked, looking at me.

I looked down.

"No, I just wanted to say hi. I didn't mean to bother you. I'm sorry," I said, turning to leave.

Strong arms caught me.

"You could never bother me," he said, turning me to look me in the eye.

"So you're not mad at me?" I asked.

Confusion crossed his face.

"About me eating popcorn for a bedtime snack, you said that you didn't approve. And then I mouthed off," I explained shamefully.

"Oh Sweetheart, I'm not mad at you," Carlisle said.

"You're not?"

"No Sweetie, I'm not. Just promise you'll eat healthier, okay?"

"Okay," I promised.

"I love you Sweetie Pie," Carlisle said.

"I love you too Daddy," I said and leapt into his arms.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

**_DADDY_**, she called me **_DADDY. _**

My heart swelled. Whether it was intentional or not, it was nice to know that she thought of me that way. I thought of her as my daughter and I had wanted her to call me Daddy since the second day in the hospital. I wanted to tell her that she could call me that but apparently I didn't have to. I think this will work out. She seems to be accepted by every member of this family and is not scared by the fact that we are vampires. As long as I can keep her from the Volturi, it will be fine.

She fell asleep in my arms but I had to wake her up because she still had to shower and brush her teeth. After sending her to her room, I went to find Esme. She was in our room reading. When she noticed my presence, she put down her book and smiled. I went to sit by her on the bed.

"Hello my wonderful wife," I greeted her.

"Hello my wonderful husband," she said back and smiled.

"I sent Ella to her room to get ready for bed," I said, sounding sort of proud.

She laughed. "You sound proud of yourself."

"It's not because of that. She called me Daddy," I said smiling.

"Oh Carlisle that's wonderful!" she gushed.

"I think she's getting used to the idea that we are her family now and we accept her," I said.

"That's good. She sure is sassy though. Well, towards you anyway. She's as nice as can be toward me," she said.

She was taunting me; I could see it on her face.

"I was not expecting that. And of course she is nice to you, you gave her popcorn," I said matter-of-factly.

"Oh let it go."

"I will…someday."

"Well, Ella's asleep so I think we need to have some adult time," she grinned.

"I agree," I said.

It was a good thing we were already on the bed.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up at eight-thirty the next day. I survived my second night with the Cullen's. I got dressed and went downstairs to the kitchen. Esme wasn't there. I checked the whole first floor but couldn't find anyone. I checked the basement but there was no one there either. My family didn't sleep, but they probably had some sort of use for their bedroom. I winced as I realized what they probably used their bedrooms for. I shook that thought from my mind and went to Carlisle and Esme's room. I went in without knocking. Esme was there but Carlisle was not.

"Hi Esme," I said.

"Morning Ella," she smiled back.

I crawled onto the bed with her. She was reading a book and I tried to read the page she was on.

"I don't understand it," I said.

"It's probably a little above your reading level. You'll learn eventually. I suppose we'll have to get you into fourth grade in September," she said.

"I'm glad it's a long ways away," I said in relief.

"I'm sure you'll do great. Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Not yet. Where's Carlisle?" I asked.

"You mean Daddy?" she said with a smile.

"It slipped out and how did you know that?" I asked, embarrassed.

"He told me. He was thrilled too," she said.

"Just tell me where his is Mommy," I said pleadingly.

"In his study. And I expect to hear Mommy more often than Esme," she said.

"I'll try," I said, then left the room.

On my way to Carlisle's study, I saw a big frame on the wall containing…graduation caps? I would have to ask someone about that later. I knocked on the door of his study.

"Come in," he said.

"Hi Daddy," I said opening the door.

"Hello Sweetheart," Daddy greeted me with a smile.

"I have a question," I said.

"I have an answer," he replied.

"Why is there a frame of graduation caps on the wall by the stairs?" I asked.

He chuckled. "Inside joke. We move a lot and the kids attend different schools and graduate. We keep every single cap from each school. It reminds us how old we are," he explained.

"Oh. So they have graduated that many times?" I asked, amazed.

"Yes."

"Wow." There were at least fifty caps on the wall.

"Is there anything else you wanted? Or did you just want to ask about that?" Daddy asked.

"I don't know what to do with myself. I don't have any toys or anything. Well I guess I've never had toys but still. I mean, it's not like I have to worry about surviving anymore. Oh, and thanks for that, by the way," I said.

"You don't have to thank me for it. I love having you around. And…"

"Ha! You just said it! You **_do_** love having me around, smartass and all. You wouldn't trade me for the world," I said triumphantly.

"Well I don't know about that, but yes, I do love having you around. Just use better language, okay?"

"But Emmett said…" I started.

"There is a reason Emmett is not in charge," he interrupted. "If that were the case, this coven would be a _mess_," he said.

"Whatever but I'm still bored," I said.

"As for that, Christmas is in twenty-four days. I'm sure you'll get by without toys until then," he said.

"Just one toy? **_PLEASE_** Daddy?" I begged.

"No. I can promise that you will have a truckload of toys at Christmas, along with a ton of other things, I'm sure," he said.

"Can I make a Christmas list?" I asked.

"Of course. But don't let Emmett influence you. He knows you'll be likely to get everything that you put on there because you're a child and everyone adores you," he said.

"Keep talkin'," I said.

"You have to know that everyone loves you," he said.

"More! More! I'm just soaking this up," I said happily.

"Go make your Christmas list," he sighed.

"Okay!"

"After you eat the omelet I made for you," said Mom.

"But Mom," I whined.

"Don't "but Mom" me. It won't take you long to eat," she said. I followed her to the kitchen.

After I finished eating, I asked Dad for a paper and pen. He gave me a pen, box of crayons, and a notebook, saying I could color if I wanted. I thanked him and went to my room and sat at my desk.

**ELLA'S CHRISTMAS LIST:**

**1. Everything Barbie you can possibly find**

**2. Everything Bratz you can possibly find**

**3. Everything Littlest Pet Shop you can possibly find**

**4. All the makeup a girl could need**

**5. An iPod **

**6. A laptop ( from Apple )**

**7. An iPad**

**8. An iPhone 5**

**9. A coupon to get my ears pierced**

**10. A gift card for Justice.**

**11. A gift card for Forever21**

**12. A gift card for Sephora**

**13. Dress up clothes**

**14. Jewelry**

**15. Blue hair dye**

**16. Pink hair dye**

**17. Purple hair dye**

**18. Red hair dye**

**19. Blonde hair dye**

**20. Black hair dye**

**21. A cat**

**22. A dog**

**23. A fish**

**24. My own personal Wii**

**25. And X-box **

**26. Sims**

**27. A purple lava lamp with red lava**

**28. Another neon bedset**

**29. Posters of Justin Bieber**

**30. iTunes in which to buy all of Justin Bieber's songs**

**31. The Justin Bieber singing toothbrush**

**32. Cable for my TV**

**33. Plane tickets to Hawaii**

**34. A surfboard**

**35. Tanning lotion**

**36. Enough chocolate to fill the Empire State Building**

**37. A stereo**

**38. A disco ball**

**39. A director's chair**

**40. A video camera**

**41. The thing that people snap in movies and say "marker"**

**42. A karaoke machine**

**43. Roller blades**

**44. A bike**

**45. A skateboard**

**46. A snowboard**

**47. Nail polish in every color**

**48. A big, fuzzy stuffed penguin**

**49. And bunny**

**50. A curling iron**

I looked over my list to make sure I got everything. I had. I decided to show everyone else before giving it to Dad. Maybe I could convince him to leave it on the fridge. I went to Emmett and Rosalie's room first. They thought it was great. Emmett said that if I got the karaoke machine, we'd have to duet. I screamed no and ran to Jasper and Alice's room.

I stopped outside the door.

"Come in!" Alice's voice cheered.

"What do you need Darlin'?" Jasper asked with a southern accent.

"To show you my Christmas list before I give it to Carlisle. Just in case he tells me to make a different one," I said.

"That bad?" Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"Let me see," said Alice, taking the paper from me.

She and Jasper looked at it for a few minutes.

"Carlisle is going to flip about the ear piercing thing," said Alice.

"Did you see it in a vision?" I asked.

"Yep."

"Do you have a video camera? It would be cool to tape his reaction," I said.

"Here, use my phone," Jasper said, handing it to me.

"Sweet, thanks," I said.

I went to Edwards's room next. Even though he couldn't read my mind, he knew I was there.

"Come in Ella," he invited.

"Read this," I said, giving him the list.

It only took him a minute.

"I've got it memorized," he said, giving it back.

I went to Esme next.

"Read my Christmas wish list," I said. She took it from me.

"I'll keep that in mind when I do my Christmas shopping," she said.

I left for Dad's study. I went in without knocking.

"Back so soon?" he said.

"My Christmas wish list," I said and turned the video recorder on Jasper's phone on.

"Ear piercing?! Hair dye?! What makes you think you are old enough for a phone?!" he exclaimed. I could tell it was taking everything he had not to rip the paper into a million shreds.

"Why can't I get my ears pierced?" I asked.

"Because you're too young!" he exploded. "If you think I'm going to get you that, think again."

"But Daddy, every girl gets their ears pierced," I whined.

"Not when they're eight!" he yelled.

"Fine. Maybe you won't get me an ear piercing coupon, but maybe someone else will. And then I can get my ears pierced and you'll have no control," I said, smirking.

"Oh you can bet I have control. I forbid you to get your ears pierced and there is no way it will happen. Talk to me when you're thirty," he said.

I took the list back and left without another word. The video would be hilarious, I was sure. I went to the kitchen and put my list on the fridge, found a highlighter and highlighted number nine and fifteen through twenty, just to get on Dad's nerves. I should've put leather pants on there too, that would have been a nice touch.

I went back to Jasper and Alice's room.

"Here's your phone," I said to Jasper.

"Did you record it?" he asked, taking it from me.

"Yep."

"Let's watch," he said.

I crawled between him and Alice as he brought up the video. We were laughing the whole time.

"We should put this on YouTube," Alice laughed.

"Yeah, can you email it to everyone else?" I asked.

"Will do," said Jasper.

I went to my room, grabbed my notebook and crayons, and sat outside on my balcony. After thinking about what to draw, I decided to draw the view. About a half hour later, I was done. It looked pretty good, if I do say so myself. I would give it to Mom later; she'd appreciate something like this. I went back inside and put my stuff away. I wanted to keep my room as clean as possible now because after Christmas, I'm sure it wouldn't stay that way. Around four, my sisters knocked on my door.

"What's up?" I asked.

"We were wondering if you wanted to do something," Rosalie said.

"Could we go shopping? I know I can't get much with Christmas coming up but I want to get a few bikinis. Can we not tell Dad though?" I asked.

"Sure, we can go. Let's go before Dad comes out of his study," Alice said.

We raced to the garage. It had so many expensive sports cars, it was amazing. We went in Alice's yellow Porsche. There was a mall not too far away. We went into Hollister. I found two bikinis that I instantly fell in love with. One pink and one black. They didn't look like something an eight-year-old would wear, they gave a bit extra on the chest and the black one looked kinda sexy but I didn't care and neither did Alice or Rosalie. They thought I looked great. We made our purchases and drove home. I went straight to my room and put my things away, kinda hiding them a little. I did not want Dad to see. I noticed that the clock said seven-thirty. It didn't feel like we'd been gone for three and a half hours but you didn't keep track of time while shopping. I went downstairs to see what Mom had made me for dinner.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Pizza," Mom answered.

"Yum!"

"Homemade too," she said.

"More yum!"

I ate and then went to shower. Even though it was only eight-thirty, I was pretty tired. Today was awesome. I made my Christmas list, almost made Dad have a coronary and caught it on video, and went shopping with my sisters. I felt like I was really starting to belong to this family. My sisters had _wanted_ to spend time with me, which was touching. I showered and went to bed, dreaming happy dreams.

**JASPER'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I could feel the sense of happiness and belonging coming off of Ella, even from my room. Just by watching her, talking to her, and feeling her emotions, I could tell she loved us and loved living here. I also felt everyone else's emotions about her. They were all love and adoration. She felt like a new sister to all of us and like a new daughter to Carlisle and Esme. In fact she _was_ those things to us. We would all be on her side and protect her forever.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke around nine and got dressed into black yoga pants and a neon green sparkly sweater. It was Sunday, but I knew the Cullen's didn't attend church. They were Christian, but didn't go to church because it would be difficult for vampires. They couldn't exactly do Communion. I went downstairs and ate a bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I tried to think of something to do today, but came up empty. I couldn't wait till Christmas, twenty-three days until I wouldn't have to think of something to do.

My morning consisted of talking to Mom and Dad about Christmas decorations. I asked when we would decorate and Mom said it was kind of a tradition that they would decorate the house twelve days before Christmas. At least I wouldn't be bored on the thirteenth.

After lunch, Emmett was able to convince everyone, including Mom and Dad, to compete in a Mario Kart tournament. At least this would be entertaining. I was Princess Peach again, Dad was Bones, Mom was Toad, Emmett was Bowser, Rosalie was Daisy, Jasper was Luigi, Alice was Yoshi, and Edward was Wario.

"Dad, you drive like a grandma," I said.

"I'm being careful," he answered.

"Grandma," I said again.

I ended up winning. We had raced for three hours and I won. It wasn't like they let me either. Emmett was pissed. Though he really didn't have an excuse. Mom and Dad sucked, Alice and Rosalie were busy commenting on how cute their characters were, and Edward and Jasper were arguing the whole time. I was just awesome. After Mario Kart Emmett challenged me to beat his high score of one thousand, eight hundred and eighty-two points on wakeboarding on Wii Sports Resort. I beat it with a whopping three thousand and fifty-five points. I thought Emmett was going to cry.

"Like a boss!" I crowed.

"Damn, she's good," Jasper said, shocked.

"For an eight-year-old," Emmett grumbled.

"Oh quit pouting. Someone had to show you how it's done and that person just happened to be me. Not my fault I'm a boss," I said.

Emmett grumbled something unintelligible.

After a dinner of hamburger helper, I went upstairs to my room to read Romeo and Juliet before getting ready for bed. I absolutely loved romance. I stole the book from Dad's study when he wasn't in there earlier and instantly fell in love. When the clock said nine, I went to get a shower and brush my teeth. I crawled into bed and thought about what I would do tomorrow. Maybe play Wii with my brothers again or spend the day reading Romeo and Juliet. It would be fun to find a way to make Dad mad. I probably wouldn't get away with that much longer but I would enjoy it while I can. Then, I thought of something. I would make Carlisle go absolutely insane. I had a plan for insanity.

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**A/N: I hope you liked the chapter! Tell me what you think about Ella's Christmas list and Jasper's point of view. I'm thinking about doing everyone's point of view at some point. Also did you like Ella's bonding time with her siblings? I've got her plan for insanity all laid out and am working on putting it into the story. Remember, I like palm trees, and reviews are palm trees. **


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm sorry it took so long to update. I've been pretty busy with school. We are almost done doing our History Day projects so then I'll just be back to regular homework. I'm not sure when I'll be able to update again but it will hopefully be sometime this weekend. It depends on how busy I am or how creative I'm feeling. This is kind of a filler chapter but enjoy!  
**

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns Twilight, not me. Only the story ideas are mine.**

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**CHAPTER 6:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Before I went downstairs for breakfast, I spent an hour in my room coming up with plans to make Carlisle go insane. I made a list.

**THE PLAN FOR INSANITY:**

**1. Steal Dad's doctor bag, burn it, and blame it on Emmett (A two in one. Ha ha Emmett!)**

**2. Comment on his accent and try to imitate it**

**3. Find a cat in the street (there's plenty near the Space Needle) and ask him to change it into a vampire (if he says no, ask Rosalie)**

**4. Make him dress up as Santa at the mall for Christmas**

**5. Key his car (it's his favorite thing in the world!)**

**6. Make Mom take me shopping (with his credit card)**

**7. Hide all of his socks and left shoes and make him watch the puppet show**

**8. Find one of Dad's deer corpses and put it on Esme's antique table**

**9. Scream "TURTLE" every ten seconds (when he's watching TV)**

**10. Prank call him at work (make it sound embarrassing so the people that were near him would be like "What The Hell?") **

I finished the list by six-thirty and went downstairs, feeling devious. I wouldn't have very much time for plan one, but I think I could do it, distraction, need a distraction.

Then a thought came to me.

_**EMMETT!**_

I turned to go upstairs and grab the list so I could let Emmett in on the plan. Before I could go up another stair, Mom caught me.

"Ella! What are you doing up so early?" she asked, sounding shocked.

"I wanted to tell Dad goodbye before he left for work," I quickly lied. Actually I wanted to sleep in till like eleven.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"Not yet," I said.

She looked me over suspiciously.

"I need to talk to Emmett," I said.

"O-kay?" she questioned.

Before she could ask, I ran to Emmett and Rosalie's room. Having been warned by Alice, I knocked before going in. I was told to enter.

"Okay. Emmett? I need you to distract Dad. Long story short, I have a plan for insanity," I said.

"I like the sound of this," Emmett said and grinned mischievously.

"What does this entail exactly?" Rosalie asked.

"Details later. Emmett? Distraction. Get Dad outside and keep him busy for at least ten minutes. Please, make him stay. The plan depends on it," I pleaded.

"Got it. Off I go," he said, skipping out of the room.

"See ya!" I said to Rosalie, and ran to Dad's study. Wasting no time, I ran out into the forest and started a small campfire. Making sure it was contained; I threw his bag in the fire. I went home and got straight in the shower, hoping to remove all traces of the outdoors. I got out and quickly dried off and got dressed. As I left for the stairs, I could hear Emmett and Dad's conversation.

"But look! It's cold!" I heard Emmett say.

"Yes, I know Emmett. Our skin is cold too. It's perfectly normal for our hair to feel cold and be more dependable than human hair," Dad said.

"But it's not like our hair ever lost blood and was taken over by venom. I can't even pull it out of my head!" Emmett said.

"Emmett. That's _normal_. I'm not surprised that our hair is stronger as is the rest of our body. It's just how it is.

"But _why_?" Emmett asked curiously.

I almost laughed. Emmett was good at this. I almost felt bad that I was going to be blaming him for it. But, it was all part of the plan. Emmett would laugh about it eventually.

"Emmett, you know that I don't mind talking about the characteristics of a vampire but I have to get going. We can continue this conversation when I get home, if you like," Dad said, sounding bored.

That was my cue to go eat. I went downstairs to the kitchen and asked Esme for a bowl of cereal. I tried to look all innocent and busy when Dad came downstairs.

"Esme, have you seen my bag?" Dad asked.

"No. Ask one of the kids, maybe they've seen it," she advised.

"I saw Emmett go outside with it earlier," I said, trying to sound indifferent.

"Huh. That's interesting. I'll go ask him then," he said.

I smiled and listened intently, praying it would work.

"Emmett? Have you seen my bag?" Dad asked.

"Uh, what bag?" Emmett asked. Ha! If Dad didn't already think it was Emmett, he would have to now.

"My doctor's bag, Emmett, what other bag would I be talking about?" Dad asked impatiently.

"Oh, that bag. Well um," Emmett began.

"Ella said you brought it outside, is that true?" he interrupted.

"Yeah. It's outside," Emmett said nervously. Perfect.

"Wait. Is that smoke I see coming from the trees?" Dad said, eyebrows raised.

Emmett was silent.

"Emmett, did you burn my bag?" Dad asked slowly, carefully.

"Well…yeah," he answered guiltily.

Ha! Emmett was just so dumb sometimes. He went along with this perfectly. I thought this would work out, but not _that_ well. I was stifling another giggle. Emmett was in deep water, or should I say, fire.

"We will talk about this later. I will get new stuff today and I expect you not to touch it without permission, understand?" Dad said sternly. I could only imagine the look on both his and Emmett's face.

Dad left without another word. He let out a huge sigh as he left. I felt like laughing evilly. I finished my cereal and went to my room. I would have to face Emmett's anger later. I crossed number one off my list. Then, an idea popped into my head. I would tell Emmett about the rest of my plans and promise not to make him be involved in it. And that I would share my X-box with him if I got it for Christmas. I had to make him promise not to rat me out. I was sure that it would work. After all, Emmett loves this kind of stuff.

As I sat in my room, I thought about whether or not I wanted to do number two today. I decided to wait till tomorrow because I figured that I'd get a funnier reaction from him if he wasn't mad. I knew he'd be mad at Emmett, who wouldn't? But I knew Dad would get over it soon enough and forgive him. That was the best thing about Carlisle; he was compassionate. I've never gotten in trouble with him – yet, but that was probably coming – he never held a grudge against someone. He gave them their chance to explain and instead of punishing, he helped them. I'd heard all kinds of stories from my brothers and sisters about when they got into huge trouble. Right then I knew that the Cullen's were the best family ever.

When Dad came home, I decided to do Emmett a favor by demanding Dad's attention.

"Hi Daddy," I said as he came in the door.

"Hello Sweetie Pie," he said, and kissed my forehead.

"Can we do something together? Like maybe play a game or you could tell me a story about living for the past nearly four hundred years," I said, trying to sound hopeful.

"Thanks for reminding me how old I am," he said sarcastically. "I would love to Honey. I have to take care of a few things first but then we'll do something, okay?"

"No. Now," I said.

"Honey…"

"Pleeeeeeeeease Daddy?" I said, giving him puppy-dog eyes.

"Oh all right. Do you want to play Wii?" he asked.

"Um, how about something that doesn't involve electronics? No offense, but you're really easy to beat. I mean, face it, you suck at it," I said.

"Kind of blunt, are we?" Dad asked.

I shrugged. "It's the truth."

Dad gave me a weird, tired look and picked me up and carried me upstairs to his study. He closed the door and pulled a photo album off one of the bookshelves.

"I've wanted to show you this and tell you about the paintings on the wall for a while now, but I just couldn't find the right time. I guess the time is now," he said.

I looked up at him curiously.

"I thought I'd show you the most recent and go backwards," Dad said, flipping open the album.

The very first picture was of him and Mom on their wedding day. They both looked gorgeous. That picture was followed by many others of the family before I came into their lives. Actually it was of the past century. I couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Emmett, Jasper, Edward, Rosalie, and Alice had gotten to spend a lot more time with them than I did. I probably wouldn't be alive that long. They didn't age of course but still, I should've been able to have been with them since the beginning of my life. Carlisle, the father, friend, leader, and most compassionate person in the world. Esme, the mother, friend, and most loving person on the planet. My siblings, fun and ridiculous and loving. They've all had each other for a very long time now and would have each other forever. I wouldn't. I would die at some point and then I'd just be a memory, a small turn of events in their ever-lasting life. I wanted to be a vampire so that I could be a Cullen forever. I wanted it now. Who knew when my heart would suddenly stop beating? I would have to ask Dad to change me soon. I didn't know how long I could live with these worries. It was enough to make me want to cry. I could lose them, they could lose me. How on earth was a person supposed to function with that knowledge?

"Ella. Ella? Ella!" I became aware of a voice trying to get my attention. It was Dad, of course.

"What?" I asked.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" he asked.

"Nothing. Just spacing out," I said.

"Bored already? There's still about two and a half centuries left, don't bail on me yet," he joked.

"No. Can you explain the paintings now?" I asked, trying to sound interested.

"Sure. First you should know is that I painted all of these myself," he informed me.

"You _did_?" I asked, amazed. I hadn't known he was artistic. Then again, vampires were good at just about everything.

"Most of them, yes. This is one of London in the sixteen-forties, my father did this one," he said, pointing to the one that looked like an old city. I guess it _was_ an old city.

"What about this one?" I asked, pointing.

It was the biggest of all the paintings in the room. It looked like a castle, with four people standing on a balcony above what seemed to be a turret with medieval chairs. I then realized who the blonde figure was.

"That's you," I said.

"Yes. This is a painting of me and the Volturi," he said with a weird tone in his voice.

"What's a Volturi?" I asked. I've never heard of it before.

"The Volturi are like the law-makers of the vampire world. Like royalty, almost. I used to be one of them," he explained.

I looked up at him, a million questions in my eyes.

"You have laws?" I asked.

"Yes. Believe it or not we do have people policing our secret world. There is really only one main law: keep what we are a secret. It's important that humans don't know what we are, for many reasons. There are other rules too, but this is the main one," Dad said.

"What happens if you break the rules?" I asked.

"Same thing that happens when humans break the law: punishment. Only it is taken much more seriously in our world," he said.

"Death," I whispered.

"What?" Dad asked, confused.

"If you break the law, they kill you. And they would probably kill the person that knows, right?" I asked, struggling to keep my voice from trembling.

"You are very smart for a girl your age. And yes, that's usually what the punishment is, unless it is under special circumstances. That way the person is no longer a threat to our secret," Dad said. It seemed he hadn't wanted me to know this. I didn't want to know it either.

"But you broke that law. They'll kill you. And me," I whispered. I was shaking.

"They don't know," Dad said tonelessly.

"But they will find out. Someone will know and tell them. Then your family will be in danger and it will be all my fault. You should have put me into the foster system. I didn't know I'd be such a threat to your family and the secret. You should change me or kill me now," I said, my voice so uneven and quiet I could barely understand it myself.

But Dad did apparently.

"Oh never, Sweetie Pie. I love you and so does everyone else in this house. You are not a threat. We would all fight for you. You are precious," Dad said. He gave me the most loving look I'd ever seen.

"I'm not. And I _am_ a threat. I don't want you all to think that you'd have to fight for me if it came to it. I will not ruin the family that was already here before I came. I'd rather face the Volturi alone and have them kill me than be a danger to any of you," I said. I started to cry.

"Oh Honey, don't ever say that. Nobody thinks that and we protect our family. You could **never** ruin our family by coming here. In fact, I think you made everyone happier. You are a great addition to our family. Esme and I are proud to have a new daughter and the teenagers are happy to have a new sister. We all love you so much," Dad said, wiping my tears away.

"It still doesn't feel right," I cried.

"Well get used to it because whether you like it or not, you're stuck with us," Dad said and smiled.

I smiled back. Most of my doubts were gone now. Daddy would never lie to me and he said how much he loved me, how much they _all_ loved me. As long as I wasn't a problem, I would stay here forever. I was just worried that forever could be cut short.

"There, there now, okay? It's almost midnight so we better get you to bed. Are you hungry? You didn't have supper," Dad said.

"I'm not hungry. I'm really tired actually. Can I go to bed?" I asked.

"You never have to ask. Sweet dreams, Baby Girl," Dad said and hugged me.

"I love you Daddy."

I fell asleep in minutes, happy and content.

I didn't wake up till one in the afternoon the next day. And when I did wake, I found the concerned eyes of my father. Wasn't he supposed to be at work?

"Hello Honey, are you finally awake?" Dad asked.

"Yeah. Don't you work today?" I asked, my voice scratchy.

"I took the day off. You wouldn't wake up and I didn't want to leave you here without a doctor," Dad said and smiled at me.

"Go to work. I stayed up late last night and had a hard time sleeping. Let me wake up and take a shower and I'll be fine. You don't have to stay home," I said, feeling guilty that I had made him be late for work.

He seemed to look me over for a minute. It made me uncomfortable because he was really looking hard. He just stared at my face for a minute and seemed to be thinking. I waited anxiously for him to speak.

"All right, but only if you're sure. Tell Esme that I said to call me if you don't feel well. Sickness is nothing to ignore," Dad said seriously.

"Okay. I'll call you myself if I don't feel good. I know where the house phone is. I'm probably just going to be lazy today. Humans need that once in a while," I said.

"I may call to check on you too," Dad warned.

"Okay. It really doesn't matter. You'll only be at work for like, six hours so I'll be fine. I'm not sick, just tired," I said.

After a few more minutes of silence, Dad left. I lied about not sleeping well and I really didn't feel quite right but that didn't mean he had to stay home. I knew if I was really sick he would and there would be no talking him out of it but right now that really wasn't necessary. I was sure that when I did get sick, he would be waiting on my hand and foot. That would be seriously annoying. I preferred to suffer alone when I was sick. Actually, I had **always** suffered alone when I was sick but I was still not too keen on the idea of someone constantly watching me. I got out of bed and into the shower. I was feeling kind of achy so the hot water was wonderful. After getting dressed and making myself presentable, I went downstairs to find something to eat. I was starving.

I ended up having just a simple bowl of cereal and going back to my room to lay down. Definitely feeling crappy. I hoped that Mom wouldn't notice and call Dad. I just needed to sleep. I tried, but I couldn't fall asleep. Then I realized that I had an important task to complete. I had to do number two of my insane and possibly dangerous and absolutely hilarious plan. I would have to wait till he got home but I needed to think about what to say. After figuring it out, I fell into a peaceful sleep.

I woke at eight-thirty. Crap. Carlisle would be worried for sure. But right now, I had to go do my mission. I walked downstairs to Dad's study and went in. He rushed over to me right away. I rolled my eyes. Doctor dads.

"Ella! How are you feeling? You fell asleep again and slept for quite a long time," Dad said, concerned as usual.

"I'm fine. Hey, why do you sound funny when you talk?" I asked, trying to sound all innocent and curious.

"I sound different because I have an accent. You know that I am from England," Dad said, sounding slightly annoyed. Perfect.

"What part of England are you from anyway?" I asked, pretending like I didn't already know.

"London, Ella. London, England," Dad said, giving me a confused look.

"Oh," I said. He went back to studying me.

After a few minutes of utter silence, I completed number two of the mission.

"Ello Guvnor!" I said cheerily.

"Why are you talking like that, Ella?" Carlisle asked exasperated.

"Because I'm from the city of London, Mate. Ay, fella. Why, I've never met such a nice bloke like you," I said in Dad's London accent.

"Very funny. Now leave unless it is important," Dad said, irritated.

"Cheerio!" I said.

I heard a big sigh and the sound of Dad's head hitting his desk. Mission accomplished.

I was absolutely exhausted after just doing something small and not rigorous at all. I went to my room and collapsed on the bed. I was hoping that I could just sleep this off and be felling normal again tomorrow. I hated not being able to do much. I was one of those people that if you left me in a small, confined space for any extended amount of time, I would go absolutely bananas. But, it turns out that my hopes of sleeping it off and feeling better were wasted. I woke up at one-thirty in the morning, feeling worse than ever.

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**A/N: Thanks for reading. It's kind of a filler but I promise that it will get more entertaining in the next few chapters. Like I said I apologize for not updating right away and I don't know when I'll update next. Should be within the next few days, though. Please review. **


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Sorry it took so long for an update. I had a severe case of writer's block and couldn't think of anything for three days. History Day is over so I should have more time on my hands now to work on this. I was a little hurt because my teacher said she didn't like my project but I'm over that. Anyway here is Chapter 7 and I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer own Twilight, not me. I thought of the storyline and Ella but that's it. **

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**CHAPTER 7:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I lay awake in bed, my stomach churning. I felt hot and sweaty and I couldn't get comfortable. I sat up and my stomach lurched. I threw up everything that was in there and then some. Gross. I looked down at the mess, ashamed. Carlisle and Esme would be so upset. I started to cry and Carlisle instantly appeared.

"Honey what's wro - … oh."

"I'm sorry Daddy," I cried.

"Oh Sweetheart, _**never**_ apologize for getting sick. You can't help it. I'm not mad, it's all right," he comforted. He rubbed my back and let me cry for a minute.

"I suppose we should get you cleaned up," Dad said.

"Yeah," I said, looking down.

"Here, I'll help you to the bathroom and you can get cleaned up while I change the sheets," he said, helping me up.

"Where's Mom?" I asked.

"She and everyone else went out hunting for a few days. I went a few days ago so I'm good in that department. I can help you if you need," Dad said.

"I think I can handle it. You'll know if I pass out on the floor of the shower," I joked.

"Not funny. It happens," he said seriously.

I went to the bathroom and took a shower. I turned it on cold since I was already way too warm. About halfway through, I started to feel a little dizzy. I sat on the bottom of the shower and blacked out.

I woke up to the sound of Dad's voice through the door.

"Ella? You okay? You've been in there for about fifteen minutes now," he said concernedly.

"I passed out," I mumbled. I didn't know if he heard me or not. All I knew is that I felt like crap.

"You passed out? Did you fall? Can you get up?" he asked.

"No," I mumbled.

"Ella, I'm coming in," Dad said.

"What?! No! I'm in the _**shower**_, Dad," I said more clearly.

"I will close my eyes and bring you a towel. Do not be embarrassed, my daughter," Dad said. I heard the lock pop. Dad handed me a towel and I wrapped myself up in it.

"Okay, you can open your eyes," I told Dad.

He picked me up and carried me to my bed which had clean sheets on it. They weren't neon and didn't really match but oh well. All I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and go to sleep. But of course Dad had to examine me first. Great.

"Sweetie I'll be quick. You'll be asleep before you know it," Dad said encouragingly.

"You're not going to stick me with needles, are you?" I asked nervously.

"No, I don't believe that to be necessary. I'm just going to check your vitals then I'll leave you alone," Dad said.

"Fine," I sighed.

I was half asleep while Dad did his thing. When he was done, he laid me down and kissed my forehead before leaving. I was glad to be alone. I wanted to sleep this all off and wake up feeling perfect. Though that probably wouldn't happen unless Dad had some magical healing power. For all I knew, he could snap his fingers and I'd be back to normal. Only if he could he probably would have done so by now.

I woke up the next morning feeling as bad as I did last night. It was raining really hard and there was a flash of lightning followed by a clap of thunder. The weather matched my mood perfectly. I really hated thunderstorms. They made the world seem like a doomed place. I'm really more of a sunshine and beaches girl. Washington was really my least favorite place in the world, for more reasons than one.

"Daddy?" I croaked. I knew despite my weak voice, he would hear me.

"What is it Darling," he asked, suddenly appearing in my doorway.

"I still don't feel good," I said.

"Oh, I'm sure you don't. How about we try some crackers? If you keep those down, I can give you Tylenol," he said.

"Okay," I replied. I was kinda hungry but I wasn't sure if my stomach could handle it. If I refused, Dad would force me anyway.

He was back almost as soon as he left. There was something to be said for vampire speed. I ate three crackers and waited ten minutes. It was all good. Dad gave me chewable Tylenol which was "grape flavored" and it soothed my headache. But, it was absolutely disgusting. If children had to take medicine, the least they could do is make it taste good. Hell, I'd even be fine with flavorless. I felt myself drifting off to sleep.

I woke around seven that night. I shakily went downstairs to find my family but no one was there. They must be around here somewhere though. I knew they wouldn't leave me home alone if I was sick, especially Dad. After about five minutes, a voice came from behind me.

"Ella! What are you doing out of bed? I told you to stay in bed unless I told you that it was okay to get up," Dad said disapprovingly.

I looked down shamefully.

"I just wanted to get out of bed. I feeling a little better," I said quietly.

"You should have called for me. I don't care if you were feeling better, you still need to follow my instructions," Dad said in the same unhappy tone.

"I'm sorry," I said. I didn't know what else to say; I had known not to get out of bed.

"I don't tell you what to do and not do just for the sake of talking," Dad scolded.

"I know," I said, still looking down.

"I'd appreciate it if you would look at me when you speak to me," Dad reprimanded sternly. I immediately snapped my head up.

"I didn't mean to defy you," I said mumbled, looking into his eyes.

"It doesn't matter your intention, what matters is that you disobeyed me when you knew not to get out of bed," he said angrily.

I looked down again.

"What did I just say?!" Dad snapped. I jumped back at the suddenly loud noise.

"Carlisle!" Esme yelled, coming in the door. I started to cry. She came over and pulled me into her side.

"It's okay Honey," she said comfortingly and turned back to Carlisle. She was just about to say something to him when I interrupted.

"I'm sorry! Please don't get in a fight because I didn't do what Carlisle told me to," I sobbed.

"We're not going to get in a fight, Sweetie. We aren't even going to argue, are we Carlisle?" Esme asked pointedly.

He didn't say anything.

"Here, let me help you up to your room and you can watch TV while your dad and I talk, okay?" Esme suggested. I nodded. She carried me up to my room and had the TV on in seconds.

"The channel list is right here. Just holler if you need anything, okay?" Esme said, turning to leave.

"Can I get off the couch if I want?" I asked.

"No!" Carlisle hollered from downstairs. I was guessing he was still in the kitchen but had no problem hearing my question. I certainly had no problem hearing the answer.

"Yes you can but be careful and don't overdo it, you're probably still a little weak. If you're going down the stairs but feel dizzy just yell and I will come help you," Mom said.

"Okay, thanks," I said.

Mom smiled before walking out the door.

"Wait, Mom?"

"Yes?" she turned back.

"Dad said that you and everyone else were going hunting for a few days, why are you back so early? Did Alice see something?" I asked.

"Oh, no. I just had to run to the store to get some more food, I'm still going to meet up with them, unless you want me to stay," Mom said.

"No, go ahead. I was just wondering. I didn't think Dad would lie to me but I was curious," I said.

"I'm going to talk to him then meet up with your siblings, okay?"

"Okay. Love you Mommy," I said.

"I love you too, Baby," she said and left.

I never felt happier in my life. I still didn't know why Dad was so mad at me though, I didn't think getting out of bed was that big of a deal. Sheesh, who could have known Dad was so strict? Maybe it was a vampire thing.

**ESME'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I could not believe what I had heard my husband say to Ella. I hadn't heard the whole conversation, just the end, but I could tell both he and Ella were upset. Carlisle seemed furious and Ella looked…shaken? Sad? _Guilty_? I didn't know what. I made my way downstairs. Carlisle was still in the kitchen. It sounded like he was putting the groceries away. The man was smart but not nearly oblivious. He was obviously trying to make me happy and soothe some of my wrath. Not working, Ace. He looked extremely distraught at the food laid out in front of him. Right now, it looked like he was debating whether or not the crackers belonged in the refrigerator. Moving with vampire speed, I put the items in the correct places and stared up at him with frustrated eyes.

"Hello Darling," he said after a few minutes of uncomfortable silence. Uncomfortable for him, anyway. Maddening for me.

"Do not try to be all sweet and innocent because I can tell you right now that it will not work," I said angrily.

"Sorry Dear," he said.

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to," I said.

"Esme, she disobeyed me. I'm not going to let her get into the habit of disobeying me. It is not tolerated in this house," Carlisle said firmly.

"For God's sake Carlisle! She's sick! And we've only had her for six days! We got her on the twenty-ninth of November and it is just now the third of December! I really don't think we have to start worrying about that yet. And you getting mad at her and scolding her for getting out of bed? Ridiculous! How am I supposed to leave you two here alone if you're getting mad at her because she got up to find you?" I asked furiously.

"She needs to know that she cannot just do whatever she pleases. I may be relaxed when it comes to what my children do, but I still have rules and I expect them to be followed. You don't have a say in the matter," he said firmly.

"Excuse me? You are talking about the kids like you own them. They are _my_ kids just as much as they are yours. You don't get to decide on anything without having my say, just like I don't do anything without yours," I stated fiercely.

He bowed his head shamefully.

"I'm sorry, Esme. I didn't mean that. It's just I've never raised a human child before but I know how disobedient and disrespectful they can be. I don't want to have a child that acts like that," he explained.

"Which is why we decide things _**together**_," I emphasized.

"You're right and I'm sorry. I never meant to say that your opinion doesn't matter because in all truth, it does," he said and smiled.

"Now you get it," I said.

"You should go now. _**Our**_ kids are probably getting very impatient and will probably come back at any second. I prefer to tend to the sick without people asking me a million questions. I love you," he said and shooed me out the door with a playful push.

"Be the compassionate man I married and the protective and caring father I now get to see more of," I said and took off running.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I thought over the words I had said to both my daughter and my wife and regretted them all. And, thanks to my yelling at my wife, I now had a crying child to deal with. I knew I caused this and had to fix it but that didn't mean I wanted to. I didn't want to leave my daughter crying and guilty but I was hoping that she'd fall asleep and I'd have more time to think things through. After fifteen minutes, she was still going strong so I decided to intercede. I quietly climbed the stairs to Ella's room and gently knocked on the door as not to startle her. I received no answer. Not good.

"Ella? It's Daddy. May I come in?" I asked gently.

"Go away, _**Carlisle**_," she spat.

I flinched. She was clearly not happy with me. I couldn't remember the last time she called me Carlisle and that really hurt. I guess I earned that though. She had every right to be angry after what I told her and what I yelled at Esme. I wanted to make peace with her, to be her Daddy once again, but she just wasn't having that.

"Little One please let me in. I didn't mean what I said and I'm sorry. If you'll allow me to explain…" I was cut off by a rather angry Ella.

"I SAID _**GO**_ _**AWAY**_! I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT! YOU WEREN'T SORRY ABOUT THOSE THINGS UNTIL AFTER MOM TALKED TO YOU AND TOLD YOU TO APOLOGIZE! YOU'RE JUST GOING TO COME IN HERE, PRETEND TO APOLOGIZE, AND GO READ ONE OF YOUR STUPID MEDICAL JOURNALS! SO I SAY AGAIN, _**GO AWAY**_!" she screamed.

"Please Honey, do not shut me out," I begged.

Normally I would have scolded her for such disrespect towards me but I knew I had earned it. I had scolded her for nothing and now she was mad, hurt, and confused because of it. She also heard Esme's and mine discussion which had probably not helped. She thought I was mad at her and didn't care about her happiness and didn't want to see me ever again. She would have to come out at some point though; we were going to be alone until tomorrow night.

"Honey, please. I'm sorry for what I said and I didn't mean to make you so upset. I'm coming in, okay?" I asked, knowing that the answer would be no before the words were out of my mouth.

"**NO**!" she screamed.

I went in anyway. She was curled up into a quivering ball in the middle of her bed. I went to her side and started rubbing her back. She kept screaming at me and I took it all in silence. I needed her to be quiet if I was going to talk to her about it so I let her get all of her talking done now. Eventually, she quit screaming and went back to sobbing. The poor thing was going to have a sore throat if she didn't already. I waited until her sobs turned to cries and her cries turned to gasps before beginning the discussion.

"Sweetheart, can I talk now?" I asked carefully. I didn't want her to be more upset than she already was. She didn't answer. I just sat there and continued rubbing her back. If the only thing I could do right now was comfort her, I would. She deserved to be happy and I was taking that away from her. Who was I to deny her happiness?

"Carlisle?" she asked quietly.

"Yes?" I immediately answered.

"I'm sorry," she cried. Oh no, not again.

"Hush. You have nothing to apologize for. This one's all me. You didn't do anything that deserved a scolding like that and I am beyond sorry. I overused my authority and I didn't think of you as my daughter. I'm just used to patients not listening to me, their doctor, and hurting themselves. But you are not a patient. I am here as your father to take care of you and you deserve to be treated as my daughter. I have never taken care of a sick child that belonged to me so I'm not perfect at it. It's no excuse but it's true. I promise from now on to treat you as a daughter and nothing less, would you please forgive me?" I asked.

She didn't say anything. She just cried until I pulled her close, and then she started sobbing. I felt horrible, to say the least. It broke my heart to know that I was the cause of this. The more I thought about it, the less reason I found for scolding her. I had told her at two in the morning not to get out of bed and had expected her to remember? Just as my wife said, ridiculous.

"Baby, are you all right?" I asked.

"Why does it matter to you?" she sobbed.

"It matters because I love you. You are the only human daughter I have and you mean the world to me. I hate to see you upset, especially when I'm the one who made you unhappy. I can't just walk away expecting you to get a grip. You're young and it is my job as a father to love and guide you through your childhood so that you grow to be a responsible adult. What I scolded you for was unnecessary and ridiculous. I told you at two in the morning after you threw up and you probably couldn't remember your name if I asked you. I am not mad and my apologies are sincere. I would _**never**_ lie to you under _**any**_ circumstances. Please, Sweetie Pie, forgive me and let me be your daddy once again," I pleaded.

"So you're not mad at me?" Ella asked.

"No. I was never mad at you in the first place," I said truthfully.

"But you yelled at me. You said that I didn't do what I was told and that you were disappointed. You said that I disobeyed you and when I didn't answer or look at you, you yelled at me. If that isn't being mad, then I don't know what is. You sounded just like Riley when I didn't do what he told me to do. I _**can't**_ live here if you're going to be yelling at me like that. I'll be honest and say I don't like being told what to do and I will probably complain or not do what you tell me to sometimes. That's just who I am. I don't try to be disobedient but it's just _hard_. I try my best to be good and I respect you. I can't be perfect all the time and when I wasn't perfect, Riley would abuse me. I thought I'd give you a chance because I thought maybe you'd be different from him. He started out just yelling, but then started to abuse me. I understand if I did something really bad but I didn't think you'd yell at me for getting out of bed. Now I don't know what I can and can't do and that scares me. I was starting to believe that you were different from Riley but it turns out you're the _**same**_," Ella said. She began crying again and buried her face in her hands. Her entire frame was _shaking_.

"Oh Ella, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to remind you of Riley and I didn't know you felt that way. I've brought back memories before and I promised to never do that again, but I broke that promise. I had no idea that I would remind you of him when I scolded you. That was certainly not my intent. And as for being mad at you, I wasn't. I know it may have seemed like it and at the time, I _was_ mad but not **genuinely **mad. Once I calmed down and thought about it, I really wasn't mad at you. It's not like I decide to be angry at people. I don't hold grudges because what's done is done and usually cannot be undone. Even if you don't forgive me, just know that I am not mad at you and I love you," I told her earnestly.

"I forgive you. I'm just a little shaken and like…whoa at the thought of Riley. Your actions were similar and I just need some time to think. I don't know if I will ever be able to trust you as I used to and don't expect me to call you Dad anytime soon. This was the same thing that happened with Riley and I don't want it to happen again. Ever. I forgive you though, okay? I just need to think about what to do now," she said sadly.

I was hurt and furious. Not furious at her, but at myself. I had lost her trust in me and the thought of her never thinking of me as her daddy ever again shattered my heart. I could not blame her for this, though. She forgave me and that was all I could ask.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

It was like the world wasn't a safe place for me. Danger welcomed me with open arms. I couldn't go anywhere without getting into trouble. Well, at least not anywhere in Seattle. No, stop right there. You are **NOT** going to run away, I told myself. I was safer here than on the streets, but was I safe enough? I knew in my mind that Carlisle would never hurt me the way Riley did. At least, I thought so.

"Ella, do you want me to leave you alone for a while?" Carlisle asked.

Did I? Yes and no. He had frightened me but I didn't know if I could stand to be alone at a time like this. I knew in my heart that I wanted him to stay. I wanted his comfort and love and I wanted him to do something with me to distract me from my memories of the past. Screw this whole disaster. Dr. Carlisle Cullen was my daddy and I knew he'd never hurt me.

"Stay with me Daddy. I know I'm safe with you because I realize that you truly love me. I know the difference between fake love and real love. Yours is real. I just want you to love and comfort me and then do something with me to get my mind away from my past. I want a future Daddy, and I know you'll help me have a good one," I said.

"And love and comfort I shall," Dad said and scooped me up into his arms and ran down the stairs and out the door. It was cold outside, but I didn't care.

Daddy was saving me from my nightmares.

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**A/N: I hope you liked the chapter. I should be able to update within the next two days. I am planning on working on Chapter 8 as soon as I get this uploaded. I will hopefully have it up tomorrow. In the next chapter, you will find out the meaning for the title of this story. I got a PM from someone asking why I named the story Sugar Plum Princess and I said that it will be explained in Chapter 8. Please keep reading and, of course, review! :-)**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Welcome to the next chapter of Sugar Plum Princess. In this chapter, the title of the story is explained. There is also some interesting events but that is all I'm going to say. This chapter didn't take me very long to think of and write and I am in the mood so I will have Chapter 9 up by midnight. I doubt you are going to stay up to wait for it but please read it tomorrow. I now present, Chapter 8!**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Twilight. I also do not own the other story mentioned in this chapter. All I own is the storyline and Ella and all of my possessions in real life. **

* * *

**CHAPTER 8:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Dad ran through the cold forest at lightning speed. Or should I say _vampire_ speed. I wasn't sure where we were going but I couldn't find my voice to ask. I had never been exposed to vampire speed before and found it quite exhilarating. Everything around me was a blur of dark colors. It was dark and I was in a forest with a vampire. I probably should be freaking out but it didn't bother me. For once in my life, I felt safe.

We suddenly stopped. Dad set me on my feet and looked around. Was he making sure it was safe? Once he approved the area of whatever, he sat down on the ground and pulled me into his arms. It bothered me a little that he held me like a baby. Neither of us said anything for a while, until I broke the silence.

"Where are we?" I asked.

"In a forest," Dad answered.

"Gee I sure couldn't figure that one out," I grumbled.

"Oh hush. And if you want a more specific location, we are in a forest in Washington," Dad said seriously.

The look I gave him must have shown him that I wasn't in the mood for his teasing.

"Well, my sense-of-humorly-challenged daughter, we are close to the border of Oregon. We're not here for any particular reason but I just felt that this was a good place to stop," Dad informed me.

"That's nice, but can we go home? I really don't want to be outside. I just want to go home and be alone," I said. I was really tired and I didn't want to be around him if I could avoid it. I was still really hurt by his scolding. He could apologize a million times but I still didn't forgive him. I told him I did to get him off my back but I truthfully didn't. I hadn't gotten enough time to think on it.

"Of course Ella. Why didn't you say so? We can talk at home, I just thought that getting out of the house would be good for you," Dad said, getting to his feet and pulling me up with him.

"Maybe you should just ask next time. I really don't like being taken places without knowing first. Not caring where I went hasn't really worked out for me in my life, if you know what I mean," I said. I was starting to get a bit irritated with Dad. He needed to stop just doing things without asking.

"We'll go home now," he said and picked me up and began running home. I fell asleep before we got home.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was a little hurt at the fact that she didn't want to spend time with me. I thought things were good between us now but apparently I was wrong. I would try talking to her again tomorrow. In the meantime, I thought of things she might want to do tomorrow. I smiled at the thought of spending time with Ella and imagining her call me Daddy again. Children are so difficult and unforgiving at times. I went up to my study feeling sad and guilty. I wish Esme were here.

In the wee hours of the morning, around three-thirty, I heard a quiet cry. I got up from my chair and walked at a human pace to Ella's room. I hesitated outside the door since she had not made another noise. I was about to leave when I heard the cry again. I opened the door but Ella's room looked peaceful. I stayed there for a few minutes when I heard the cry again. I realized it wasn't Ella. It came from outside. Not making any noise, I went out onto the balcony. I peered out into the dark night, seeing nothing. But then, a white streak flashed across the edge of the trees. **_Vampire_**.

I jumped off the balcony and slithered into the woods. I could sense that there was more than one vampire. I heard the cry again, but then it was cut off followed by dead silence. As I walked deeper into the woods, closer to where I heard the cry, I smelled blood. I ran until I reached the spot that smelled of blood. As it came into view, I saw a small corpse with two vampires, a man and a woman, standing above it. The sight was sickening; the body was one of a child.

I turned my attention to the vampires. Neither of us spoke for a few seconds. I took in the two vampires' appearance. They looked wild. Their clothes were both ripped in ways that exposed more than I cared to see. The man had sandy hair tied back in a ponytail and the woman's red hair hung loose, filled with debris from the forest. Neither wore shoes. They had the stance of a cat preparing for attack. I had the urge to slip into a natural protective, menacing crouch but restrained myself. Dealing with this peacefully would benefit all. After several moments of uncomfortable silence, I introduced myself to the possible threat.

"Hello, my name is Carlisle. I don't mean to be rude, but what are you doing on my territory?" I asked. I hadn't come across other vampires in quite some time. I never thought it would be an issue but apparently it was.

"I am James and this is my mate Victoria. We did not realize this was your territory. My apologies, Carlisle," the man said, not sounding sorry at all. He seemed a little irritated.

"It's fine, accidents happen. Are you new to the area?" I asked, hoping to maintain the peace.

"No, we were just passing through when we came upon a lost human. We put her out of her misery," James said with a smirk.

"Well I ask that you move along and please refrain from hunting in the area. You understand the need for discretion," I said firmly.

"We do, but you see, that one tiny girl wasn't quite enough to satisfy so my mate and I will just grab that girl from that room right there and be on our way," James said, smiling coyly.

I growled.

"You are **_NOT_** going to touch her," I said through my teeth.

"Oh, going to fight for her life now are we? This should be good," Victoria said. It wasn't a wonder that she and James were mates.

With that, James darted past me and into Ella's bedroom. It only took a split second for my fighting instincts to kick in. I raced after him. He yanked the sleeping child from her bed. She awoke with a startled yelp. Then she realized what was happening.

"**DADDY HELP! I'M BEING KIDNAPPED!**" my daughter screamed with such fright that it tore at my heart.

James jumped off the balcony with Ella screaming in his arms. I ran after him but was knocked to the ground by Victoria.

"**DADDY!**" Ella screamed again, kicking James. He broke her leg with a sickening snap.

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH HHH!**" she screamed.

I almost had James by the neck when Victoria tackled me again. I grabbed her by the neck and threw her down. I twisted her head off and threw it into the trees. Ella looked horrified.

James was pissed. He pushed himself faster, taking my poor baby with him. I ran after them and watched my daughter fight to no effort. She screamed, punched, and kicked but James took it as if it was a gentle caress. Realizing that it wouldn't work, she bit James' ear and kicked him where it counts. It couldn't have possibly hurt in the slightest, but made him mad for sure.

"Shut up you stupid kid!" James yelled and smacked Ella across the face. Thankfully he didn't break her jaw but she screamed out in agony.

I saw red. I gave a powerful leap and grabbed James by the neck. In anger, he threw Ella against a tree. I heard four ribs crack followed by my daughter's scream of pain. He wanted a fight; well I would give him a fight.

I smashed my fist into his face, breaking his nose. When he froze in shock, I kicked him in the groin. He went to the ground in pain, bringing me with him. He grabbed my head and began to pull. I was losing strength but not will. I would save my daughter, even if it killed me.

A red object went flying through the air and hit James in the face. It was a sock doused in Ella's blood. It distracted him long enough for me to get out of his grasp and rip his head off. I started a fire and threw both their bodies into it. After they burned to ash, I went over to help my traumatized daughter. As I got closer, she tried to move away. She didn't go very far because of her injuries. All she could do was cry in pain. That made me mad all over again.

"Ella, Sweetheart. It's okay, I won't hurt you. You're safe now. Daddy's here. They're dead, they can't hurt you anymore. I'm so sorry you got hurt, can I look? I'll get you fixed up if you would stop trying to get away. I didn't mean to frighten you. Please let me help," I said in my most soothing voice.

She tried to move away again.

I can't believe I let this happen.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Pain, that was all I knew. My entire life, mentally and physically, pain. I couldn't focus on anything but the broken bones. I had just barely survived a vampire attack and my father had almost been killed. I watched as my father suddenly became a monster. Tearing the vampires to pieces and burning them. He walked towards me, looking all gentle and kind again. I couldn't help but be afraid; I had seen the side of Dad that I never wanted to see. My dad was a monster, my entire family was.

"Ella, I'm sorry you had to see that. You now realize how strong and monstrous vampires can be. No one in this family **_ever_** acts like that unless necessary which in this case, it was. That is **_NOT _**who I am or who I want to be. If I could go back and prevent the fight, I would. I know you're probably traumatized to no end and I am **_so_** sorry. I would never hurt you. Ever. I fought like that to protect you and rid you of the dangers in your life. I only did that because I love you. You are my daughter, and I would never hurt you," Daddy said, honesty and sadness coming off every word. I wanted so much to tell him that I loved him and that I was all right, but I couldn't find my voice. I had stopped screaming, it did no good to scream. I sat there for a minute, regaining my confidence and find my voice.

"Daddy, I'm all right. I know you would never hurt me and I'm not afraid of you. I'm just really overwhelmed and in pain. Please help me," I sobbed.

"Honey, of course. I'm going to carry you home and to my study okay? I'll take care of you there and make you feel all better," Daddy promised. He scooped me up into his arms and carried me to his study. The room held good memories. I talked to Dad a lot in here and talking to him made me happy. I would have to find a way to thank him for everything that he's done for me. Maybe Mommy could help me come up with some ideas on how to show my thanks.

"Sweetheart, I'm going to inject some medicine into you to make you go to sleep, all right? That way you won't be in pain while I take care of you. I will be right here with you when you wake up. You're going to be brand new when I'm through with you Sweetie Pie, don't you worry," Daddy said, coming over with a syringe in his hand. I'd never been happier to see a needle before. He gently stuck it into my arm.

"Sleep, my Sugar Plum Princess," Daddy said as the darkness overpowered me.

When I woke up it was dark outside. That's strange; it was almost morning when we got back to the house. I cringed as I remembered what happened last night. Then I was aware of the pain again. My leg hurt and my ribs ached with every breath I took. I also realized that I was staring straight into the eyes of my father. He must have noticed my pain because his eyes showed nothing but guilt.

"Ella? Are you okay?" Daddy asked worriedly. Just like last night, I couldn't find my voice so I nodded.

"Can you speak?" he asked, looking even more worried. I shook my head then shrugged. I winced, bad idea with four broken ribs. More guilt appeared in Daddy's eyes.

"I'm so sorry Sweetheart. It must hurt and you probably won't be able to move for a while. I will bring you anything you need though. The rest of the family is back so they can help you too. I already told them what happened and that you were going to be all right. Sugar Plum Princess, if you could ever forgive me for what happened I'd be very grateful. I tried my best to protect you but failed. I promise that I will never fail to protect you ever again," Daddy said guiltily.

"Stop," I croaked.

"Stop saying that you're sorry. Stop saying it's your fault. Stop saying you failed because you didn't. Daddy you saved me. I know you didn't intend for me to get hurt but there are some things that you cannot control. You did your best and in the end saved my life. It doesn't matter if I was one second away from dying because you saved me. The past doesn't matter, the future does. I know that you would die for me and never stop fighting. As long as I know that, I'll be fine. I don't like that guilty look in your eyes because you have nothing to be sorry for. I don't want apologies and promises. I want love and protection and that's what you've given me," I said strongly.

Dad seemed to be speechless. Ha! I made Doctor Carlisle Cullen, Man Of Many Words, speechless! The world must be ending. I think I might have him believing that he did nothing wrong. Mission accomplished. That made me think about my plan for insanity. Dang, I'd have to wait until I could move again.

"I have a question. What's up with the new ridiculously long nickname?" I asked.

"Don't you know the story of The Sugar Plum Princess?" Dad asked, astonished.

"Nope, never heard of it," I said.

"The Sugar Plum Princess was a very special princess. Everybody in the kingdom loved and valued her. She was thought to be some sort of goddess. One day, when the evil knights of the other kingdom attacked, the Sugar Plum Princess was killed. Or so they thought. By some miracle, a week later she awoke and was healed. The kingdom then cherished her forever. When she got older, she married a prince and had six beautiful children. The end," Dad said.

"That's a nice story, but how do I fit in?" I asked. I was not a princess, and I doubted that I'd ever find my other half.

"You remind me of her because you survived many things that other people wouldn't have. Last night is just one example and I will not bring up the others in your life. But, like the Sugar Plum Princess, you healed from all these things. You never know what the future holds," Daddy said.

"I like my new nickname. It sure is long though. You will just have to get used to saying more things, Man Of Many Words," I said.

"What?" he asked.

"Forget it," I said.

"Does anything hurt, Ella?" Dad asked.

"My leg and ribs do a little, but nothing I can't handle," I said honestly.

"Do you want some more Morphine?" Dad asked. I read between the lines.

"No I don't want to go back to sleep," I said.

"Always so smart," he sighed.

"Sorry," I shrugged and winced again. I really needed to stop doing that.

"Well, since you refuse to be the good, compliant patient, is there anything you need?" Daddy asked.

"Can I have Tylenol?" I asked.

"I thought you said the pain was bearable," Dad contradicted.

"It is but that doesn't mean I like it. It really does hurt, but I understand if I can't have medicine. I just figured since you offered…oh well," I said in my saddest voice.

"Oh none of that now. I was just messing with you. You know that I would give you anything to erase the pain. I'll go grab some Tylenol right now," Daddy said, getting up off the couch.

"You bet you will," I said confidently.

"Don't push it, Young Lady," Dad warned.

"I love you Daddy," I said.

He snorted and went over to the cabinet which held all the medicine. I guess he didn't have to go far.

"Here you are," Dad said, handing me the medicine. It was gross but it was better than going to sleep.

"Daddy, when will I be old enough to swallow pills?" I asked.

"Well I'm going to keep you on chewable Tylenol for as long as I can. That goes till age eleven so you got a few years. I'm hoping to find something chewable for after you turn eleven but I'm not having much luck," Dad said.

"Why are you against me swallowing pills?" I asked. It seemed kinda silly to me.

"Not all pills have good uses, let's leave it at that," Dad said. For some reason, he was uncomfortable. Then it occurred to me, I've seen pills do bad things.

"Daddy, I would never take pills like that," I said.

"Ella, this discussion is over. Right now you are eight years old and you are taking chewable Tylenol. Let's not worry about the future, all right?" Dad said firmly.

"Dad, we both know that you are the only one in this room worrying about the future," I said.

"You don't miss anything, do you?"

"Nope. Besides, it's obvious that you're worrying," I stated matter-of-factly.

"Maybe so, but you understand my worrying, right?" he asked.

"Daddy, I'll never understand your worrying," I said.

"Remind me why I didn't just give you Morphine without asking you first," Dad said exasperatedly.

"Because you love me."

"Still debating."

"Get out," I said.

"This is my study, I will stay if I please," Dad said.

"Then can you please shut up so I can sleep?" I asked.

"I thought you didn't want to go back to sleep," Dad retorted.

"Well I don't want to hear you talk either," I said.

"ENOUGH YOU TWO! STOP YOUR BANTERING IT'S GETTING YOU NOWHERE! CARLISLE, LET THE CHILD SLEEP!" Mom yelled.

"Ha ha, you're in trouble," I said to Dad.

"Find a new doctor," Dad said as he held his head high and walked out the room with the grace of a queen.

"You'll be back," I said.

I got no answer but I knew I had won.

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**A/N: I hope you liked it! Please review and tell me what you think. Reviews bring more chapters. I'm not trying to sound desperate but I really do like them! If you have ideas for the story, please review or PM me. Chapter 9 will be up very soon. Also, please let me know if you see any grammar or punctuation mistakes. I check the writing over very carefully, but I do not have the chapters beta read. I want the writing to look as good as possible. Thanks for reading! **


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay, so two hour delay on the update but at least it's up. There will be a lot of point of view switching in this chapter so make sure you keep up with that. Each is clearly marked in bold lettering so it should be noticeable. I have a lot going on tomorrow so I probably won't have Chapter 10 up but you never know. After the disclaimer, enjoy Chapter 9!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight but the posters covering my walls.**

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**CHAPTER 9:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

The next time I woke up it was light outside. I was still on the couch in Dad's study and it didn't look like anything had changed from when I went to sleep. I knew that Dad had probably checked on me several times while I slept. He was such a worrier. I looked around the room finding no clock. Ugh, of course I had to have a broken leg and there would be no clock on the wall. Maybe I could convince Dad to put one in here at least until I was able to move. I seriously doubted he would let me stay in my room while I was still vulnerable. It freaking sucked. And of course Dad had to walk in right then and see the irritated expression that was on my face. Just my luck.

"What has got you in such a rotten mood? For Heaven's sake, I only now just walked in the room," Dad said with a smirk.

It was like karma biting me in the ass.

"I'm not in the mood Dad," I grouched.

"I can tell. Now you know how I feel when I get home from a stressful day of work and am greeted with one of your smart-alecky comments," Dad said with another smirk.

Okay, Karma, I get the point.

"Seriously though, what has your undies in a bunch?" Dad asked.

"My father," I answered.

"All right, before I came in the room," Dad clarified.

"I was just thinking how irritated I am that there's no clock in here and I can't even go as far as to look at your computer," I said.

"My apologies Sweetie, I didn't know not having a clock on my wall would get you into a tizzy," Dad said, smirking again. I wanted to punch him in the face.

I stuck my nose in the air and turned my head. If he wanted to keep making those stupid comments then I would just ignore him.

"All right, Ella what's wrong?" Dad asked, suddenly turning serious. His mood swings were giving me whiplash.

"I hate this! I hate not being able to get up and move around! I hate being in pain! I hate that I'm stuck in your study with an IV in my hand! I hate that you are checking on me every ten freaking minutes! I hate it, I HATE IT, **I HATE IT!**" I screamed.

We just stared at each other for a few minutes.

"Are you done?" Dad asked with an unrecognizable tone in his voice.

"Yes," I said quietly.

"Ella, I know that this isn't enjoyable and I am doing everything I can; you have to trust me on that. I know you don't like being in pain and having an IV in your hand. I know you don't like being stuck in one place. I'm only checking on you to make sure that you are okay and that you don't get lonely. It isn't every ten minutes, just about every hour. If you want me to stay away for longer periods of time or want me to wait until you call for me, I will. I'm not trying to upset you, Dear. I'm trying to heal you as quickly as possible but it does take time. You will just have to be patient and wait it out. Just tell me what you want me to get you and I will get it. I'm sorry you're hurt and that there isn't anything else I can do. I will take care of you with everything I am capable of but understand that I can only do so much," Dad said.

I let that sink in. He had addressed everything I had said and then some. He said that he was doing what he could but that didn't help, I hated all of this.

"I'm sorry Daddy, it's just, I don't like feeling helpless. Don't like feeling vulnerable. My life has always depended on strength and now I don't have that. I know I don't need it as much anymore but it's still an uncomfortable feeling," I explained, hoping that he would understand and not be be so disappointed in my behavior.

"Sweetie, I know that it is going to take some time to get used to the idea that you don't need to fight for your life anymore. I know that you will probably always have defenses to keep other people from getting through to you regardless if you need them or not. As long as it doesn't make you unhappy, just think of it as being a part of yourself. It's definitely not a bad thing," Daddy said.

"Thanks. I'm sorry for yelling. It just drives a girl bonkers after a while," I said.

"It's all right, Sugar Plum Princess. Just don't yell like that when you're better because I won't excuse it then," Dad warned.

"Okay. I'll just talk in a really loud voice then," I said.

"I can't win," he sighed.

"And I can't lose," I said confidently.

"Always got your head in the sky," Dad said.

"Yep."

"Ever heard the word humble?" Dad asked.

"Nope, what does it mean?" I asked.

"It's the opposite of what you are," Dad said.

"That's a compliment because I'm awesome," I said.

"Remind me why I put you in my study when you have a broken leg and four broken ribs and have nothing to entertain yourself but your mouth," Dad said.

"Because you love hearing me talk all the time. Especially when you are doing paperwork and talking to yourself," I told him.

"Yeah. Riiiiiiiiiiight, that's why," Dad said sarcastically.

"You didn't deny it!" I sang.

"Ever heard of _sarcasm_, Ella?"

"Yeah, it means to be _totally_ serious," I said.

"What am I going to do with you?" Dad asked, throwing his hands up in defeat.

"You are going to go make me a cup of hot chocolate," I informed him.

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

"Well then, I will be right back with that."

"Thank you!" I said.

After a delicious cup of hot chocolate, I was feeling rather hyper which really sucked when you could hardly breathe. I had absolutely _**nothing**_ to do. Dad didn't even have to do paperwork or dictate notes so I couldn't be a smartass. I always come up with good stuff when I'm hyper too. This whole broken bones thing sucked. Time couldn't pass quickly enough.

A week later, I was finally able to move around the house. It was December twelfth so everyone was in the Christmas spirit. I was getting there. I had never experienced a real Christmas before so I didn't know what to make of it. I knew the basics of it but it would definitely be something different. It was something to look forward to. My ribs were almost completely healed and I was able to use crutches. They were kinda fun, but I wouldn't tell Daddy that. It gave me something to complain about which we all know I like to do. With Christmas approaching, I had to do number four of my plan for insanity but I hadn't even done three yet which was turning a cat into a vampire. It would only work if one of my family members, besides Dad, would be willing to help. I was sure Emmett would.

"Ella, I just got called into work. I should be home by nine, see you soon," Dad said as he rushed out the door. Now was my chance.

"Ella, I have to go to Port Angeles to get something I ordered for Christmas. I will be back in about an hour. Love you Sweetie," Mom said.

Even more perfect.

"Hey Emmett, can you do me a small favor?" I asked in my sweet little girl voice.

"Sure, what do you need?" he asked.

"Don't ask, but I need you to go get me one of those stray cats from behind the Space Needle," I said.

"Okay," he said and dashed out the door. Of course this wasn't weird to Emmett at all.

"Hey Sis?" Edward asked.

"Yeah?"

"What the Hell was that about?" he asked.

"It's part of the making-Dad-go-insane plan. I'm going to make a vampire cat and have it attack him," I said.

"I'll change it for you," he offered.

"Really?!"

"Sure," he said with a smile.

"Oh thank you!" I said and hobbled over to give him a hug.

Emmett returned with the cat about fifteen minutes after he left. We brought it into Edward's room.

"How long will it take?" I asked Edward.

"Probably like a half hour since it's so small. We can pull this off," he said confidently.

"Um, Ella? You might want to leave for this part, it won't be pretty," Alice said from the doorway.

"You're right," I said, following her out the door.

After a half hour, Emmett came downstairs restraining the cat in his arms.

"We're going to catch him some deer and then hide him in Edward's room under our watch until Dad gets home. The cat responds to 'Kitty' by the way," Emmett said.

"Good to know," I said. They left with Kitty screeching away.

They returned in ten minutes. The cat had calmed down and was walking on its own. Kitty followed Emmett up the stairs to Edward's room. I prayed this would work. Mom hadn't noticed yet and Dad was going to be home in a half hour. This should be good.

Dad returned home and went straight to his study. Emmett unleashed Kitty and he of course followed me because I was human and smelled delicious. He hadn't attacked me yet but I didn't want to push my luck. I went into Dad's study with the cat right behind me. Dad saw the cat and took a step back.

"Ella! What is that cat doing in my house?" Dad asked, his eyes bulging out of his head.

"Chill, it's my new pet. Emmett gave him to me. His name's Kitty," I said.

Dad looked at the cat for a long time then sighed and turned away. That was when Kitty pounced on Dad, knocking him to the ground.

"**WHY IS THIS CAT A VAMPIRE?!**" Dad screamed and tried to untangle the cat from his hair.

"Edward changed him for me," I said.

"**EDWARD! GET IN HERE!**" Dad yelled.

"Yes Dad?" Edward said, appearing instantly.

"**TAKE THIS CAT TO THE SAHARA DESERT AND DON'T COME BACK UNTIL IT'S LOST!**" Dad screamed.

"Yes sir!" Edward said, removing the cat from Dad and rushing out the door saying he would be back tomorrow morning.

"Ella, what is the meaning of this?" Dad asked in a calmer voice, getting up off the floor.

"I just wanted a little kitty Daddy. And I wanted it to be strong like everyone else in the family. I didn't know he would attack you," I said innocently.

"WELL YOU CAN GET ANOTHER ONE! A HUNDRED MORE IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES! **BUT IT WILL NOT BE A **_**VAMPIRE**_**!**" Dad yelled.

I decided it would be best if I left the room. Mission three was completed and it was time to start putting number four into action. That would be a little harder, but with help, I could do it. Dad loved doing what he could to help and I'm sure he would be willing to make little kids (and their mothers tee hee hee) happy by dressing up as Santa at the mall. I was in the middle of planning when Mom called me downstairs for dinner. After I ate, Rosalie helped me shower and get into pajamas and I went to bed feeling mischievous and evil. It was a good feeling.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I didn't know what had gotten into Ella. I knew she liked to joke in the extreme but I didn't know it was _**that**_ extreme. I still wasn't sure what to do about it. Everyone including Esme thought it was hilarious. Everyone but me, that is. I didn't know if I should punish her or not. And if I did, _**how**_ could I punish her. I couldn't punish her the way I did with the other children, she didn't have a car. I decided to go talk to Esme about my daughter's extreme stunt. I found her in the bedroom.

"Esme, could we please talk for a minute?" I asked her upon entering the bedroom.

"Of course Dear, what is it?" she asked concernedly.

"Ella," I answered simply.

"What about Ella?" she asked.

"I do not know how I feel about her little stunt. I think it was a little too extreme to be tolerated and I am not sure if I should punish her and if I should, how so. It's not like she has a car. She barely even has anything! That will change after Christmas but I feel by that time it will be too late. I am extremely discouraged and I do not know what to do. I want to hear your thoughts on this before I decide on anything," I told her.

"Oh Carlisle, let it go. It was just a joke. I do agree that it was a little extreme but it was also very clever. She had to have put a lot of thought into that. I also think that it is a good sign that she feels comfortable enough to play a joke on you like that. Not only that, but she also involved her siblings. Think of it as bonding. Cut the girl some slack, she has been stuck in bed for the past week. She just had a high amount of energy and like I said before, a lot of think time," Esme said.

"Maybe that's so, but what if she continues to do things like that? What if she does something more extreme than that? We have to draw a line at some point, and I think this is the place to draw it," I said.

"Carlisle, let it go. The girl has gone through a lot this past week and just needed to let it all out. Her hormones might be having an effect as well," she said.

"Hormones don't act up this early in a child's life. It usually kicks in around thirteen. I do have quite a bit of knowledge on this," I said.

"We both know that it can start early. As early as the age of eight, if I remember correctly. Her body and brain change and mature making it an emotional rollercoaster. It will be an interesting few years," she smiled.

I knew at that moment, she had won.

"Years that we will face together," I said.

"That's right," she said.

We got down on the bed and did what we have needed for a long time now.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up the next morning feeling well rested. I replayed all that had happened yesterday evening and smiled. I would do number four tomorrow. Today I had to make him promise to do it. Luckily it was Sunday and he didn't have to work. I went downstairs to get a bowl of cereal and went back up to my room to get dressed. I went to Mommy and Daddy's bedroom to see if Daddy was there. He wasn't but Mommy was.

"Morning Mommy," I said, announcing my presence.

"Good morning Sweetie," she said back.

"Where's Daddy?" I asked innocently.

"He's in his study," she said.

I left the room and went to Dad's study. He was doing paperwork again. It seemed it was all he ever did. I went in and said hello.

"Can we talk for a minute?" I asked, using my sweet little girl voice again.

"I was actually just about to go for a hunt. Maybe we can talk when I get back. Love you, bye," he said and kissed my cheek. I felt the breeze as he hurried past me. Weird.

I went down to the movie area in the basement to find all five of my siblings.

"Hey people!" I said.

"Hey Ella," they said at the same time.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked.

"We were talking about your 'mission' from yesterday," Jasper said.

"What about it?" I asked.

"Well, we were wondering what gave you the idea."

"Oh. I don't really know. I just thought making Dad go insane would be fun. I have a whole list of ideas actually," I told them.

"Spill it!" Rosalie said.

I told them all about my plan. They thought it was great and offered to help with anything and everything. Alice had a vision and said that my opportunity to get Dad to do number four would be tonight at eight thirty-six p.m. She said that the ladies would be all over him and he would run out of there screaming. Everything would go as planned. It was sure nice to have a psychic sister.

We played Wii for the rest of the day, only taking a break for me to eat lunch and then dinner. We quit at eight-thirty so I could catch Dad before he started on his paperwork. I bounced up the stairs to his study, the James Bond theme song going through my head.

"Hey Daddy, remember how I wanted to talk earlier and you said later? Well it's later now," I said.

He stiffened.

"What is it Ella?" he asked.

"Well I was wondering if you would dress up as Santa at the mall. Just make a few little kids' day. I have always wanted to do that but I am to scared to sit on some random guy's lap. Please do it? For me?" I pleaded, giving him puppy-dog eyes.

He looked at me for a minute.

"That's it? You don't want me to go caroling in a reindeer outfit?" he asked.

"Well that would be cool, but I really want to sit on Santa's lap but I told you I'm too nervous to sit with some random guy. Please, just this year?" I asked.

"If it makes you happy, I will. But only because I want you to have every experience that you can get," he said in a loving voice.

"Yay! Thank you Daddy!" I said and hobbled over to give him a hug.

"Go to bed now. I'm taking the day off tomorrow just so you can sit on my lap while I wear a beard. Please do as I say just this once," he begged.

"Fine," I sighed. I'd just take an extra-long shower.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I drove with Ella to the mall at about ten in the morning. I was happy to be able to give her the experience that she longed for. I told her that she would have to stay there all day until my shift as Santa was over and she said that was fine as long as she got to sit on Santa's lap. I knew right then that I couldn't back out. I would give my daughter the world.

When we got to the mall, there was already a line of kids waiting for Santa to make his appearance. I got Ella in line then got into costume. I did kid after kid until I finally got to Ella. She was rather quick despite how much she wanted me to do this for her. I shrugged it off and kept going until I got to an adult woman with no kids. She kept telling me how handsome I was and then all of the sudden; she kissed me and tried to undo the buttons of my red jacket. I jumped up out of the chair, changed back into my regular clothes, grabbed Ella, and ran out to my car with thirty women chasing after me. I barely got to the car in time. Once inside, I took a deep breath and ran my fingers through my hair.

"Ella, I am never doing that again so I hope you enjoyed it," I said, out of breath if vampires could be.

"I did," Ella said and giggled.

Then something clicked.

Ella had known this would happen.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

When we got home, it was four o'clock. I went to tell my siblings about it and they about came back to life of laughter. I went to my room and crossed number four off my list. We were making cookies and decorating for Christmas tomorrow so five would have to wait until Wednesday. I would have to get up at six to key Dad's car before he left for work which would suck but hopefully be worth it. It was a normal evening and I went to bed excited to be getting ready for Christmas tomorrow. The trip to the mall had gotten me into the Christmas spirit.

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**A/N: Cookie baking and Christmas decorating tomorrow yay! I hope you like the chapter. Like I said before, I probably won't have the next chapter up tomorrow but check back on Monday or Tuesday and it should be there. I'm really tired so I am going to get some sleep. Goodnight! Let me know of any mistakes and of course, review! :-)**


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Okay, so I was able to update sooner than I thought. Ten chapters, woohoo! I can't really give an estimate on how many chapters there will be to this story but there will be a lot! Without further blabber, I present to you, Chapter 10!**

**Disclaimer: For the tenth time, I do not own the Twilight Saga. Get it through your head! LOL **

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**CHAPTER 10:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"JINGLE BELLS! BATMAN SMELLS! GET YOUR ASS OUT OF BED!" Emmett sang, bursting into my room and waking me from a peaceful sleep. I shot up out of bed and landed on my butt. Emmett was laughing like a donkey and I wanted to hit him _so_ badly. Such a rude awakening. He would pay for this. I grabbed my glass of water that was beside my bed and threw it at his face. Perfect aim. It hit him right in his big mouth and the water got all over him. There was barely any on the floor. He stopped laughing immediately and looked down at his soaked shirt.

"Ella! Look what you did! I was only playing with you," Emmett whined.

"Serves you right," I said.

"What is going on in here?" Mom asked, appearing in the doorway.

"Ella threw her water at me!" Emmett complained.

"Only because he woke me up singing a messed up version of Jingle Bells!" I defended.

"It was a joke!" Emmett insisted.

"It still wasn't nice!" I yelled back.

"Enough you two! Emmett, clean up this water and leave Ella alone to wake up and get dressed. I've had about enough and the day has just barely started!" Mom said. I could almost _see_ the frustration coming off of her.

Emmett cleaned up the water and broken glass and left me alone. I got dressed in a Christmassy outfit since we were decorating and baking cookies today and went downstairs to eat a doughnut that Mom had got from the store. Even with the rude awakening, today was actually off to a good start. I doubted it would stay that way though.

"All right, everyone get in the car. We are going to find a tree," Mom said.

"Oh there's one over there," I said, pointing out the window.

"I mean one from the tree farm," Mom clarified. I already knew that.

"People actually farm trees?" Alice asked, amazed.

"Yes, Alice. Are we going to go or just stand here and talk about it?" Mom asked.

"Go!" we all shouted.

"Then get into the cars. Grouping boys and girls. Edward you're driving the boys and I will drive us girls," Mom instructed.

"Aw, why does Eddie get to drive?" Emmett whined.

"Because I said so," Mom said firmly.

"But he drives like a grandma," Emmett complained.

"Do not!" Edward said.

"Do too!" Emmett insisted.

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"DO NOT!"

"DO TOO!"

**"NO. I. DON'T!"**

** "YES. YOU. DO!"**

"Enough!" Mom shouted and pushed them out to the garage.

It didn't take long till we were at the tree farm, arguing over which tree we should get. We all had a different one selected. The one I chose was massive and fluffy. Its branches were perfect and the needles even looked soft. It was absolutely perfect in every sense of the word. It screamed 'Christmas'.

"I have an idea," Mom said. "Everyone choose your second favorite and then once we choose, we will say the one we picked second and the tree with the most picks, we will get," Mom said.

I chose Rosalie's. It was similar to mine, but smaller and less fluffy. In the end, we took my first choice home. Everyone but Jasper had picked mine. We put the tree in Emmett's monstrous Jeep and went home. The boys wrestled it through the door to the main floor living room and into the stand that resembled a tree stump. There was just enough room between the tip of the tree and the ceiling for the star. It was kinda ridiculous since we had really high ceilings but I liked it. It was beautiful and grand, just like everything else in the house.

We spent the afternoon decorating the tree. The theme was silver and gold and a little bit of deep red mixed in. We used warm lights giving the room a cozy feeling. It was a nice contrast to the Winter Wonderland outside. We were finishing up when Dad came home from work. He said it looked great and the tree itself couldn't have been more perfect. I told him that I picked it out.

"Would you like to do the honors, Ella?" Mom asked, holding out the star.

"Sure," I said.

Daddy put me on his shoulders and stepped onto the ladder so I could reach. I stuck it at the top and let the cord fall behind. Edward plugged it in and it lit up. It shimmered and sparkled so beautifully. Dad put me back on the ground and we all stepped back to look at the masterpiece. Our Christmas tree was complete.

"All right! Time for cookie baking!" Mom announced.

Everyone but me, Mom, and Dad scrambled outside.

"What's that all about?" I asked, confused.

"They don't like the smell of the foods used for cookie baking. Even though we don't eat, I make Christmas cookies for the hospital staff that have to work Christmas Day," Mom explained.

I turned to Dad.

"You don't have to work Christmas Day, do you?" I asked.

"No, Sugar Plum Princess. I only work till seven on Christmas Eve and then I'm home till January third. I usually go back on the twenty-ninth but I want your first Christmas and New Year with us to be a special one. I want to be here for every minute of it," Dad said with a smile. I hobbled over to give him a hug. Man, was I tired of hobbling.

"Okay! Let's go make cookies!" Mom cheered impatiently.

We followed Mom to the kitchen. She and Daddy got out all of the ingredients while I just stood there, unsure of what to do. I didn't know where anything was and I'd never made cookies before. I was planning on talking more than helping; I'm good at talking. It was the twenty-second of December and I was dying to know what at least one of my presents was. Maybe while they were making cookies, they would be distracted enough that I could get a few answers from them. That thought was crushed when Mom told me to start mixing the batter.

"I measured out all of the ingredients. Put the dry stuff in the mixer and the wet stuff in a separate bowl. Mix the wet stuff and then add it to the mixer and turn it on. Your Dad is getting stuff out and I am going to go see if I have any more cookie cutters," Mom said and left the room.

I put all the dry stuff in the mixer and then mixed the wet stuff in a separate bowl. I turned on the mixer, realizing too late that I forgot to add the wet ingredients. It went everywhere but mostly managed to cover Dad in powder. It was all over him from head to toe. I started laughing hysterically. Dad didn't move. Mom came back and gasped at the mess, then looked at Dad and giggled.

Dad then decided that I would look better with chocolate syrup on my face and squirted it at me.

"Hey! The powder thing was an accident!" I said, wiping my face off with the back of my hand.

"So was squirting the chocolate syrup. I must have grabbed it too tightly," Dad said with a smirk.

"Yeah right!" I said, licking the syrup off my hand.

"Carlisle! Take Ella to the bathroom and clean her and yourself up. I will clean this up mess and make new batter. You can come back for the cutting out," Mom said.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I took my daughter into the bathroom and set her on the counter. I wet a washcloth and gently started wiping off her face. She couldn't seem to look at me with a straight face. A glance in the mirror told me that if I wasn't the one covered in batter, I would be amused too. I was, to a point, but I was worried about that limit again. I knew that this time it had been an accident but it still reminded me of the other times. Esme couldn't stop me this time. I decided to give Ella a warning.

"Ella, I know that this time it was an accident, but your messing around with me has become quite extreme and frequent. I'm talking about the whole cat fiasco and mall incident. From the start you've been a smart-aleck and a jokester. It's all right to do that once in a while but not all the time and certainly not as extreme as you have been. I feel like you should know what the limits are before it gets too out of hand. For example, the mall is the most extreme you can go, and I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't do something of that level very often. The vampire cat was _**way**_ over the limit and that is not acceptable. I don't expect that you would do it again but that level of joking is not tolerated. You're smart; you know what is acceptable and what is too extreme. I expect you to use your knowledge of that," I lectured.

She was quiet for a minute. She sat there with her head down.

"I'm sorry Daddy," she apologized quietly.

I pulled her chin up.

"It's all right, Sweetheart. I wasn't scolding you; I was giving you a warning so you don't get in trouble in the future. I'm not mad or disappointed. I'm telling you what is okay and what isn't. That's one of my responsibilities as a father, to guide you in the right direction," I told her softly.

I kissed her forehead and patted her hand.

"Are you going to help Daddy get cleaned off since he helped you?" I asked in a hopeful voice.

"No!" she snickered, and ran out the door. That kid.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I ran back to the kitchen, basically blowing off Dad's lecture. I was still going to do my plan for insanity. I was sure that I would get into trouble for keying Dad's car, but I didn't care. It would be fun. Trouble was fun. When I got back to the kitchen, it was clean and Mom was already rolling out the cookie dough. I would never get used to vampire speed.

"Do you need me to help with anything?" I asked in my sweet little girl voice. Maybe if I got on Mom's good side, I wouldn't be in so much trouble for doing mission number five. It would take place tomorrow.

"Not yet. I just need to roll this out and we can form the cookies. You can help with that if you want. Once they're baked, we will decorate. Where's Daddy?" Mom asked as she rolled out the dough.

"Still trying to clean off all the powder," I said with a smirk.

"Think he thought of just changing his clothes?" Mom asked.

"Probably not," I laughed.

"Thanks for the idea!" Dad called.

"See?" I said.

Five minutes later the dough was flat and Dad was back wearing a new set of clothes. We began to cut out stars, bells, trees, and gingerbread men. Next came the decorating. It took about an hour to decorate all six hundred cookies. Four hundred were going to the hospital and two hundred were staying here. Two hundred cookies all for me. Yippee!

Everyone came back as soon as the mess was cleaned up. Figures. We all had a good laugh about my mixer accident and they said the cookies looked great. Emmett played with the gingerbread men until I got so annoyed and bit the head off the one he was holding.

"And you call me a monster," he muttered, and gave me the rest of the cookie.

We put all the cookies that were going to go to the hospital in boxes and stuck them in the freezer. We put mine in Mom's huge Christmas tree cookie jar. They barely fit. Once it was all put away, we all went into the living room to talk until I had to go to bed. I went to sleep excited for my mission that would take place tomorrow.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Ella went to bed and the rest of our children went different ways. Esme and I were left in the living room admiring the tree. We cuddled on the couch in silence. Even in the dark, I could see the snow falling. Everywhere you looked, Christmas was there.

"I had a little discussion with Ella today," I admitted. I decided keeping my talk with Ella a secret from my wife was probably not the best thing to do.

"What about?" Esme asked, her eyebrow furrowing.

"I decided to give her a warning on her little shenanigans," I said.

"What did she do this time? I wasn't aware that she did anything," Esme said.

"Well, she didn't. The mixer thing was an accident but that reminded me of everything she purposefully did. I told her what the limits were and that she would be in trouble if she passed them," I told my wife.

That didn't go over so well.

"You lectured her when she didn't even do anything wrong?! I told you to wait until she was healed and did something! Now the child thinks that she can't even make mistakes! Carlisle, why" – I cut her off.

"I did it because I was reminded of what she had previously done! I told her that I knew the mixer thing was an accident and gave her examples of what she did before I lectured her. I told her that it was a warning and she was not in trouble. I know you told me to let it go but I couldn't! What if she does something that could expose our family? The Volturi would be after us for sure! I knew you wouldn't hear and" – she cut me off.

"So you did this behind my back. You knew full well that I wouldn't be able to hear it and you took advantage of that? How am I supposed to trust you with the children if you go and do things I told you not to behind my back? I am not happy right now, Carlisle. I want an explanation as to why you did this when I told you not to," she said. She was definitely not happy.

"Esme, I didn't mean to upset you. I did it behind your back because I didn't want you to stop me or get upset. You tend to be a little overprotective of our children, Love. I felt that it would be good to warn her and set limits before she got herself into trouble. I just want to prevent things that could cause problems," I told my upset wife.

"So you deem Ella as a problem," my wife sniffed.

"Now you know that's not true. By problems I mean exposing our secret or getting herself in trouble with other people," I clarified.

"I still wish you wouldn't have done that," Esme said with a sigh.

"I know and I'm sorry. I won't do anything like that again if I don't have your approval first," I vowed.

"Good. How did Ella take it?" she asked.

"She looked a little guilty and upset for a minute. I told her that she did nothing wrong and that it was just a warning so that she wouldn't get in trouble in the future. I told her it was all right and rekindled her happiness. She ran out of the room with a smile so I take that as a positive sign," I said.

"You seem to know what you're doing. Somewhat, anyway. I'm sorry I questioned your parenting abilities," she said.

"And I'm sorry I did something you told me not to behind your back," I replied.

We sat there for the rest of the night until about three in the morning, when we decided to take it to the bedroom.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

At six a.m. I snuck downstairs out to the garage. I made it there unnoticed with Dad's keys in hand. I smiled to myself as I dragged the key along the side of the Mercedes. I then hid in a cabinet to watch the fireworks. After about ten minutes, Rosalie came out.

"Ella, wherever you are, this is your best one yet!" she said and went back inside. I thought it might be a trick, so I changed my hiding place.

Not long after, Jasper came out. He sighed and went back inside. I changed my hiding place again.

At seven o'clock, Dad came outside, took one look at his car, and fell into a heartbroken puddle on the floor. He didn't move. I felt guilt wash over me. I knew Dad loved his car, but I didn't know he loved it **THAT** much. I had the urge to go over and hug him. MUST RESIST! Despite my better judgment, I ran over to Dad and gave him a hug.

"Daddy, are you okay?" I asked.

"You fell for it, you actually fell for it," he said, sitting up.

I decided to run.

**"We will talk about this when I get home! THIS IS NOT OVER!" **he yelled as he pulled away.

Mission accomplished.

I went back inside and went to the kitchen where Mom was making pancakes.

"That wasn't as bad as the cat, right?" I asked.

"In Carlisle's book, that's probably the worst thing you could ever do. Serves him right if you ask me," Mom said with a sniff.

"Are you guys mad at each other or something?" I asked.

"Sort of. I told him not to lecture you on what you did before and he purposefully did it behind my back. I'm kind of glad you did that," she said.

"So you're on my side?" I asked hopefully.

"You will not be punished or even lectured for it," she said confidently.

"Thanks Mom. I thought I would have to get the National Guard to protect me from Dad's wrath, but you're equal to if not more than their protection," I said gratefully.

She smiled and set a plate of pancakes in front of me. They were delicious.

"Pancakes bring back good memories," I said.

"They were the first food I ever made you," she said with an affectionate smile.

"That must be why," I said.

I finished and went to tell my brothers and sisters about the successful mission.

"With Mom's protection, you're golden," Edward said.

"Dad won't be home until nine, he's getting it fixed," Alice said with a smirk.

"So what's the next one?" Emmett asked, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"Make Mom take me shopping with his credit card. Mom wouldn't deny me anything. It will take place on the twenty-seventh," I said.

"I like it," Rosalie said.

We decided to play chess until lunch. Me against Edward since he couldn't read my mind, Alice against Jasper, and Rosalie against Emmett. One of the many benefits of having an even number of kids. We were a family of eight, which is the perfect number if you ask me.

I colored in my room until dinner. I thought about how after Christmas I wouldn't be so bored anymore. I would have toys and electronics and God knows what else to keep me busy. Mom called me to dinner. I went downstairs glumly. I just wanted Daddy to be home so I could see what this would turn out to be. Nine o'clock couldn't come fast enough.

After a dinner of spaghetti, I just sat in my room again waiting for it to be nine o'clock. Finally, I heard Dad come through the door. I grabbed my crutches and hobbled down the stairs. Hobble, hobble, hobble.

"Ella, go to my study and wait for me there. You and I have a long discussion ahead of us," Dad said sternly.

"Hello to you too," I mumbled.

"Ella! I am **NOT** in the mood for lip. You are testing very dangerous waters. Do as I say or you will just land yourself in more trouble which, believe me, you do not want to do. Now I will not tell you again, **GO TO MY STUDY!**" Dad yelled. His patience was very thin if not gone.

"She doesn't have to go anywhere except for where she wants. I don't blame her one bit for doing this. You lectured her yesterday for nothing so you do not get to scold or punish her today," Mom said.

"BUT SHE PASSED THE LIMIT! WE JUST TALKED ABOUT THIS YESTERDAY!" Dad exclaimed in an angry voice.

"But instead of talking to her after she passed the limit, you talked to her before she passed it. You have to let her make mistakes before you intercede or she will never have anything to learn from. Let this be a lesson to you to not jump the gun and not do things behind my back," Mom said scornfully. Boy did Mom not like being disobeyed and mislead. Good to know.

Dad huffed and stomped off to his study. I turned to Mom.

"Thanks, I wouldn't have made it out alive," I said.

"Don't push it now, I won't be able to get you out of it next time," she warned.

"Next time? What do you mean next time?" I asked innocently.

"Not fooling me," she said.

"Dang."

"Get to bed; we are going to the hospital with Daddy tomorrow to deliver the cookies. We are taking separate cars, but I want to get there early before it gets busy. Hopefully no night traumas will happen. That would really mess everything up," Mom said.

"Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. And then it's Christmas! I'm so excited!" I said.

"You should be. This is your first real Christmas and everyone in this house is determined to make it special. This will be a Christmas you will never forget," she said with a smile.

She hugged me then gently pushed me towards the stairs. I went up to my room. took a shower, and got in bed. Delivering the cookies tomorrow would be an adventure. It would be the first time I ever met Dad's colleagues and the first time I'd willingly go into a hospital. It amazed me that in such a short amount of time, my life had took a major turn of events. Maybe I wasn't doomed after all.

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**A/N: I hope you liked the chapter. Chapter 11 will be up by Tuesday at the latest. I'm trying to do at least one chapter a day but it is kind of difficult to write it, proofread it, and upload it with everything else that I have going on. Please let me know what you think of the length of the chapters. Heaven forbid they be too short but I'm wondering if they're too long. Ideas for the story are welcome and please give it a review! I also started a poll and I'd appreciate it if you would check it out and vote! It will go on for quite a while because I want to finish this story first but I thought I'd put it out there so that when I'm ready, it will be easier to write. Please vote and review this chapter. :) **


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I have a mild case of Writer's Block and I couldn't think of anything to write. It took longer and I'm afraid that this chapter isn't as creative as the others. Please read it anyway. This is basically about Carlisle and Ella hitting more rough spots and working through them. There is a reason why this happens so often and you will find out later in the story. I basically have a list of important events that I need to hit and I turn those into a story. I write bits and pieces at a time and it eventually comes together. Just so you know, there will be a sequel to this story but I don't know what it will be called and there are still plenty more chapters to this story. I thought I'd just explain how I write my stories and what the plan for this story is. I now present, Chapter 11!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight, though if I could go back in time and create it, I would. **

* * *

**CHAPTER 11:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"Ella, wake up Sweetheart. We have to leave in a half hour," Dad said, gently shaking my shoulder.

"Mmmmmmmmmmm," I groaned.

"Your mother made French toast," Dad coaxed.

"I'm up," I said.

"That's what I thought," Dad smirked, handing me my crutches.

"Get out so I can get dressed," I said.

He left and I put on a red sweater-dress with black leggings and a rose headband. Leggings were kinda my thing. Leggings, neon colors, and sparkles, yep that's me. My long brown hair hung straight down my back to my waist. I didn't like anything about my body. I had flat brown hair, boring brown eyes, and dark skin. I wished that I was paler. I wanted curly, voluminous hair and I hated being stick-skinny. I didn't want to be fat, but I wanted curves. Mom said that I would get them eventually. I wanted to be older. I was tired of being small and cute, I wanted to be sexy.

I went downstairs to the kitchen where Mom was waiting with a piece of French toast. I took it from her and ate slowly. I didn't really want to go anymore. I knew that people would just say how cute I was and I _**hated**_ that. I didn't want to be a little girl anymore.

"Time to go. You must not me all that hungry since you usually wolf down French toast. Come get your coat on, Daddy can't be late," Dad said, taking the plate of crumbs away.

The cookies were already loaded into the car so all we had to do was get in it. We lived on the outskirts of town so the hospital was a half hour away. Made me realize how big Seattle was. The ride to the hospital didn't take long enough though. Before I knew it, my arms were loaded with four cookie boxes. I followed Mom and Dad inside where we were instantly greeted by several doctors and nurses.

"Oh, Mrs. Cullen! You make working on Christmas so much more enjoyable!" said one nurse.

I was still hiding behind Daddy.

"It's a pleasure, Mary. Especially since I had some extra help this year," Mommy said, gesturing to me. Dad moved to the side to expose me.

"Oh well hello! Who might you be?" the nurse asked.

"I'm Ella," I said shyly, going behind Dad again.

"Hello Ella! I'm Mary, Dr. Cullen's favorite nurse," she said with a smile.

"She's one of the few that don't flirt or try to get their hands all over me," Dad whispered. Mary giggled and Mom glared.

"One of the few women I can actually stand to be around," Mom grumbled.

Dad and Mom chatted with Mary for a while. I got bored pretty quickly. I couldn't get into trouble here. One because there were too many people around to do something good and two, I didn't want Dad to lose his job. That would mean less shopping money for me.

"Well it was nice chatting with you, but we've got a ton of cookies to deliver!" Mom declared.

Dad took us into the doctor's lounge.

"This is where all the old guys whose wives make them have jobs hang out," Dad said loudly.

"Watch it Carlisle, I'm not too old to kick your butt," a gray-haired doctor said in mock-seriousness.

"John, you wouldn't dream of doing something like that when my wife and daughter have brought you cookies," Dad smirked.

"I knew that's why you were here! You don't spend much time in here, always out at the nurse's station, eh?" the doctor said. I could tell he was taunting Mom. This was getting old really fast.

"ANYWAY, this is my recently adopted daughter Ella. She is my pride and joy," Dad said proudly, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

"I'm going to remember you said that," I said. That earned me a chuckle from several doctors in the room.

"I'm sure you will. Enjoy the cookies everyone!" Dad said, pulling me and Mom out of there. That was…awkward.

"This is the nurse's station, this is much more enjoyable than the Old Fart Cave," Dad said.

"That it is," said an Alice-sized nurse.

"Who is this little Chickabiddy?" asked a doctor, coming up to the counter with a file in hand.

"Peter, Charlotte, this is my daughter Ella. We adopted her a few weeks ago," Dad said.

"Hello Ella," said Charlotte.

"So you're the sweet little girl your daddy won't shut up about. I'm Dr. Cooper, though you can call me Coop. This is my wife Char Coop," he said, picking me up and situating me so that I was resting on his hip.

"That's Nurse Charlotte Cooper, thank you very much," she sniffed at her husband.

"But that makes you sound professional," Dr. Cooper said.

"We _are_ professional. Just like you are Head Pediatrician Doctor Peter Cooper," Charlotte said.

"Chickabiddy, as you get to know me, you'll realize that I'm very professional in my own way," Coop said. I wanted him to put me down but I couldn't find a polite way to ask.

"I hate to disrupt your chitchat, but we have more cookies to deliver," Dad said.

"I'll let you go then," Coop said, putting me down. Thank God.

We didn't actually have more cookies to deliver, but Dad knew that I was being pushed out of my comfort zone a little too much. Dr. Cooper was nice and all, but there was just something about being held by strangers that made me very uneasy.

Mom and I went home and Dad stayed at work. Tomorrow was Christmas and I couldn't wait! There were already a lot of Christmas presents under the tree but Mom said that there were tons left to wrap. Mom had bought me the most beautiful Christmas dress. It was deep red and was tight-fitting. It went down to the floor where it went off into a short train. I was hoping Mom would let me make a slit in the leg. She said no after the word 'slit'. At least I tried.

At home, my siblings were nowhere to be found. There was a note on the fridge saying that they had gone hunting. With nothing to do, I went to my room and thought about a few things.

What had happened with my life? The past few days had been fun and exciting, but now it was just, blah. It seemed to change in an instant. I realized that my life needed all the crazy patterns it used to have before the Cullen's adopted me. I also didn't know what made me want to act older than I really was. My entire life was just…off. I needed excitement, adventure. My life was turning out to be like a pop song, hit and topnotch for a while then down to being obsolete. Where was the action?

Then I realized something; I wanted to go to school. I wanted to have a lot of friends and be the most popular girl. I wanted to have crushes on boys and boys to have crushes on me. I wanted to get away from home and be around people my age. I wanted to **live**.

I groaned and rolled over on my bed. We had talked about me going into fourth grade next September but I wasn't sure I wanted to wait that long. I remember wishing that I would never have to go to school, that I could just stay home with my family all the time. Now I wanted to get out, to live life like every other person. The only way I would end up with a fairytale ending would be by getting out and meeting people. I wished that I would grow up faster.

Dad and everyone else got home around the same time. My siblings went off in different directions while my parents sat in the living room, talking about this and that. I decided that now would be a good time to talk to them about me getting a life.

"Dad, Mom, I want to get a life," I said, hoping the weird statement would catch their attention.

They gave me puzzled looks.

"What do you mean you want to 'get a life'?" Dad asked, his forehead crinkled in confusion.

"I want get out of the house and meet new people. I want to make friends and have sleepovers. I want to have friends to invite to my ninth birthday party. I want have a crush and a boy to have a crush on me," I said.

Wrong thing to say with Dad in the room.

"**A crush?! As in a BOYFRIEND?! For God's sake Ella, you're eight! Don't even **_**THINK**_** about**" – he was cut off by Mom.

"So you're saying that you want to go to school?" Mom asked for clarification.

"Yes," I said.

"And you don't want to wait until September?" Mom asked.

"No. I did but now I don't. Don't most schools have like a Winter Break? Maybe you could find one that I could go to after Winter Break," I said.

"I haven't found one that I like yet," Dad said.

"It doesn't have to be the greatest," I said.

"Well you are not going to a regular public school. Public schools can be dangerous and considering what happened to you" – I cut him off.

"Dad, I'm not worried about that. It would be an elementary school and I seriously doubt I'd get raped in the hallway. I mean, seriously. I could understand if it was a high school where all the rowdy teenagers go and it has happened before but I don't think you have to worry about that. I know how to say no," I said. This was going to take a lot of convincing.

"But you shouldn't have to. Any place where there is even a slight possibility you will not step foot in it. I am not against you going to school but you'll have to give some time to shop around. I will find the best there is," Dad determined.

**"BUT I DON'T WANT THE BEST! I JUST WANT TO BE A NORMAL GIRL THAT GOES TO A NORMAL SCHOOL AND HAS A NORMAL LIFE!" **I shouted. This was so frustrating.

**"WELL I'M NOT GOING TO LET YOU GET HURT AGAIN!" **Dad yelled back.

"Yeah, I've heard that before. That's why I'm not in a cast and don't have four broken ribs and bruises covering every inch of my body," I said sarcastically before bursting into tears.

**JASPER'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I winced as I felt anger and sadness reach me. The strong mixed emotions were coming from both Carlisle and Ella. Only there was no sadness from Dad. Ella's sadness overpowered her anger and I heard her burst into tears. I heard Esme trying to calm them to no avail so I decided I was needed. I left my little pixie in our room and went downstairs to the living room. I appeared in the doorway and projected calmness and love.

"Come on, stop it! It's Christmas Eve! Ella, go to your room and Carlisle, you and I have some serious talking to do!" Esme exclaimed. Neither moved. Dad kept on yelling at Ella and Ella just sobbed her heart out.

I decided to take Ella to her room so that Mom would have a chance to talk to Dad.

"Come here, Darlin'," I said, scooping her off the couch.

I carried the sobbing child to her room and laid her down on her bed. I lay down next to her and wrapped my arms around her, knowing that physical contact would make my gift more efficient. She cuddled up to me and sobbed even harder.

"Let it all out, Darlin'," I told her.

"Carlisle doesn't love me!" she sobbed.

"Now stop that nonsense. Of course Dad loves you, you're his baby child. He's just overprotective and never wants to see you hurting, physically or mentally," I soothed her.

"But he won't even let me live!" she bellowed.

"Like ah said, overprotective. My Pa was just the same with my sister when I was a boy. He wouldn't let her go _nowhere_," I said. Ugh, I hated when my accent slipped. Even though Mom and Alice said it was adorable, it was still embarrassing. I'd been super careful around Ella but now that had all gone out the window.

"He says that I'm his Sugar Plum Princess but I don't wanna be kept in a tower!" she cried.

"Darlin' he's not tryin' ta dictate yer life. He loves ya and wants ta keep ya safe and sound where he can see ya. Mom will give him a talkin' to and all will be fine. You will get ta go ta school and make friends and there will be plenty of boys for me to chase away. I'll put a gun to their head if they try ta do anythin' you don't like," I reassured her.

Apparently, my words appeased her. She calmed down to only a few tears here and there and was back to her old self in no time.

"Thanks Cowboy, can ya go getter a saddle?" she asked with a smirk, imitating it perfectly.

"Very funny, now go to sleep before I put _you_ into a saddle," I said, making sure to keep the accent gone.

She smiled and curled into the fetal position.

It was so damn cute.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was very grateful when Jasper took Ella to her room. This conversation needed to be over and I doubted that she wanted to be around me. I was a little ashamed for yelling at her but she just didn't understand. I broke the promise to keep her safe once; I would not do it again. All the shame disappeared at that thought. She was testing me with that talk about boys too. I was thinking an all-girls private school would be perfect, but I knew Esme wouldn't go for that.

"Carlisle, I'd like it if you'd pay attention to me while I'm speaking," Esme said, pulling me from my thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Love. I just have a lot on my mind," I apologized.

"Well apparently Ella's happiness is not on your mind," Esme said pointedly.

"Ella is all that is on my mind. I know you want to say a few words so let it out," I said tiredly.

"Carlisle, you can't keep her chained to a wall forever. She wants to go to school and make friends. She wants to live the life that she should've lived from the start. I'd think you would have been thrilled when she said that she didn't want to wait till September. There are plenty of schools around to pick from. I think she should have the experience of going to a regular public school. There isn't much in her life that's normal so I think having even just one thing normal would be good for her. Just because we are supernatural doesn't mean that she is. She will want to live life just like any other human, which means we might lose her. She will find Mr. Right one day and run away with him, just like everyone else. We need to make this time as good for her as possible. I think that we should let _her_ choose the school. We need to give her a childhood that no one else has ever had before," Esme said.

"That, right there, is what has me worried. I don't want her to be a hungover slut. I don't want her to grow up and I want her to be with us forever. There is no way that she will pick the school. She is not going to a regular public school and that's that. You can argue and reason all you want but you're not going to change my mind," I said, finality ringing in every word.

"Carlisle, if you're not going to come up with options for her then I will. She will be registered at a school by the end of Winter Break," she said strongly.

I thought for a while. There was no way she was going to Apollo or Truman. Probably not Kennedy. I thought maybe a Catholic school would be best.

"How about St. Boniface?" I asked Esme.

"Are you kidding? That school's focus is on younger kids and it only goes through fifth grade. She would be in towards the end of third grade and only have two full years with whatever friends she makes. I want her to have the option to stay with the same people through the years," Esme said.

"St. Katharine Drexel?" I asked.

"No, Carlisle. What is it with you and all these Catholic schools? We aren't Catholic and Ella said she wanted to go to a regular public school. That means no tuition or uniforms," Esme said.

"Well there is no way she is going to Apollo or Truman. I'd prefer she not go to Kennedy. Where else could she go besides a Catholic school?" I asked.

She thought for a moment.

"How about Discovery?" she asked.

I internally groaned. Ella would love that school and many of my colleagues' children went there but it seemed to be a little more relaxed than other schools on the discipline and curriculum. If something bad happened to Ella, they might let it go where other schools wouldn't. I decided that I would ask my colleagues' opinions on it.

"I'll ask my colleagues about it. I go back on the fourth and Discovery starts on the eleventh," I said.

"Make sure you find out that Monday. We need to tell them four days prior to the eleventh. We also need time to talk to Ella and get her school supplies. Oh Carlisle, this is so exciting! She has never gone to school before and we will get this first-experience with her! I wish her life hadn't been the way it was, but now get to experience her going to school for the first time!" she exclaimed happily.

"It sure will be interesting," I said.

"Oh, I wish I could tell her right now, but Jasper just got her to sleep. Such a sweet boy. You also need to talk to her about your little argument today. I don't want that affect Christmas," she said.

"And I don't want to ruin Christmas tomorrow by talking to her about it. I think I should wake Ella up and talk to her about it now, she might sleep better if I do," I said.

"Well then go wake her up. I'll leave it up to you and now that I think about it, we should wait until after Christmas to tell Ella about school. I think she'll have enough excitement tomorrow," Esme said.

"Good idea. Don't want her to get too excited to sleep," I said agreeably.

"Away with you!" she said, pushing me toward the stairs.

I smiled and walked up the stairs to my daughter's bedroom. I went in and sat down on the bed, staring at my Sugar Plum Princess.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I felt my shoulder being gently shaken. I heard the smooth voice of my father.

"Ella, Sweetheart, can you wake up for me please?" he asked, running his fingers through my hair.

"Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm," I groaned.

"I'm sorry, Sugar Plum Princess but we need to talk. I would have waited until morning but I don't want to upset you on Christmas," he explained.

"Talk," I croaked.

"Honey, I just need to apologize for yelling at you. I didn't mean to and I had no right. You want to go to school and I understand that. You deserve to get an education and I was trying to keep you from that because I felt that it could be dangerous. I talked to Mom and we're getting things worked out. Ella, we've been getting into a lot of disagreements lately and I don't know why that is. I'm trying to protect you and that's getting in your way. I will _**never**_ stop protecting you and worrying about you but I'm trying to give you a little more freedom. You're very mature for your age and I'm not able to wrap my head around that. You probably think about a lot more things that most eight-year-olds don't. I think that you're getting over your past faster than I am. I'm sorry if I seem controlling to you but know that is never my intent. You are my child and I love you, nothing could ever change that," he said.

"Dad, I know that you worry too much about me. I know that you're only trying to keep me safe but it really is getting in the way. I respect your opinions but don't necessarily agree with them. You can tell me to do this and that, but all of your words ricochet. I am perfectly capable of making my own decisions. I may have never gone to school, but I do know everything academic wise that an eight-year-old should know. I have…a gift of some sort. It's kind of hard to explain but you'll see," I said.

"Again, I am beginning to realize that you are capable of more than I thought you were and I'm sure that will continue to unravel. I also realize that you need to make most of your own decisions but some you are just not capable of making yet. You may think you are, but you're not. I just wanted to apologize for the disagreement earlier," Dad said.

"Dad, I love you but I don't know if I can forgive you. Like you said, we've been arguing about everything lately and I just don't understand. I don't know if it's me or you but I just don't know what to do. Give me some time to think on it, okay?" I requested.

"Of course, Sweetheart. I can assure you that our relationship will improve in time. We are just in a rough spot right now. It will get better. Just know that I love you and I am always here for you, no matter what. Some things, Baby Girl, don't ever change," he said.

"I'm really tired. I'm going to sleep now. See you at four by the tree," I said, laying down.

He chuckled. "Goodnight. I love you," Dad said.

"I love you too, now get out of my room," I said. He laughed again and closed the door.

Tomorrow was Christmas. It would be filled with happiness and joy. It would be my first real Christmas and the first time that I received gifts from anyone. After almost eight horrible years, I had a family. Even though I was in a rough spot right now, I'd never been happier. My life had gone from the worst imaginable to being all right. I'm sure it would get even better in time. I was a Cullen, and I intended to stay one until I met my prince. The one I already felt desperate for.

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**A/N: Going through and editing this, it's not as bad as I said it was in the beginning, was it? Tomorrow is Christmas in March! Yay! Actually it could be tomorrow or Friday but you get the point. This was kind of a filler chapter. I needed to write some things and that turned out making it too long for me to add Christmas in it. Please tell me what you think about the length of the chapters. Right now, they range between 3,500 and 4,000 but I want to know if that is too much or not enough. Please review and go vote on my poll. So far no one has voted and I really need you guys to! If you have any ideas on how to bring it to people's attention, please let me know. Also in your review, please let me know of any mistakes that you see. Tell me what you think of the content and please go vote! Thanks for reading.**


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I doubt you want a list of excuses so after the disclaimer, enjoy Chapter 12!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Twilight Saga and I am not Stephanie Meyer! I admit it! The only thing I can claim is Ella and the storyline. **

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**CHAPTER 12:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up at four-thirty in the morning. It seemed that my body was too anxious for presents to sleep. I quickly threw on my Christmas dress and ran to the living room. Everyone was waiting, of course. The pile of gifts had grown since I saw them last night. My heart beat excitedly, there were at least six hundred presents.

"Let's get started!" I said and threw myself down on the floor in front of the tree where my siblings were. They all looked as excited as I did.

"Mom and Pops always find the best stuff!" Emmett crowed.

"Ella, start pulling gifts at random and hand them out," Dad said.

"Wait!" Mom said from the corner of the living room. She was setting up a video camera. She pressed the button and gave me a thumbs-up and sat down on the couch.

"This one is for me," I said looking at the tag on the box.

It was a small and square-shaped package wrapped in silver wrapping paper. I carefully tore the paper off and it revealed a black, soft velvet box. I gripped the lid and slowly opened it.

It was the Cullen family crest.

I took the necklace out of the box and held it up. I looked at my family and noticed that they all wore it in some form. Dad wore it as a ring on his right ring-finger, – on the other was his wedding ring – Mom had a bracelet, the boys wore it as a wristband, Alice had a ribbon necklace, Rosalie had a gold chain necklace, and I now had one just like Rosalie's except it was on a sliver chain. At that moment, I knew that I belonged.

The package said it was from all of them.

"Thanks guys," I said, tears coming to my eyes. I flitted around to give them all hugs.

"Okay, moving on," Emmett pushed.

"Way to ruin the moment," I said.

I pulled another present from under the tree. It was addressed to me from Alice. The wrapping paper was a bunch of neon colors mixed together and it was a pretty big box. Maybe a foot long and wide. I hurriedly opened it, anxious to see what was inside.

"Every color of hair dye on my Christmas list!" I exclaimed. Dad groaned threw his head back.

"Thank you so much Alice! Thank you thank you thank you!" I said, bouncing on the floor. I pulled another box from under the tree. It was addressed to 'Pops' from Emmett.

"Here Dad," I said, handing it to him.

Emmett was grinning in anticipation.

"Nothing is going to jump out and smack me in the face, right?" Dad asked, a slightly nervous tone in his voice.

"That was last year, Dad. Those things are only funny once every decade or so," Emmett answered.

"Wha – ?" I asked in complete confusion.

"Details later," Emmett said. I brushed it off and turned my attention back to Dad who was opening the present.

"Emmett, what does it do?" Dad asked warily, holding up a box the size of a desk drawer with a big red button on the top. You couldn't believe Emmett if he said the sky was blue.

"Just push it. It won't do anything bad," Emmett said.

Holding it slightly away, he pressed the button. The lid popped off and music blared.

**'DOCTOR, DOCTOR, GIVE ME THE NEWS! I GOTTA, BAD CASE OF LOVIN' YOU!' **

I burst out laughing. Dad held up a new stethoscope. It was black and it had a red heart on the bell.

"Thank you Emmett, but I think you could have done it without the obnoxious music," Dad said.

"That took me forever! You better keep that box for as long as you die!" Emmett said. He looked proud of himself.

"He's already dead, Emmett," Rosalie said.

"Moving on," I said, pulling another present out from under the tree. It was a small box from Rosalie to me.

I opened it and it contained a bunch of plastic cards. I read through them and they were gift cards from every store I wanted. Five hundred dollars for each! And I got a voucher to get my ears pierced.

"I think I have the two most awesome sisters in the world," I said. "Thanks Rosalie."

I dragged the box the size of the couch over in front of the tree. God was it heavy. It was to me from Dad. No wonder he smiled while I did backbreaking work. I tore the paper and tape off and opened it eagerly.

My jaw dropped to the floor.

It contained my own Barbie universe.

I couldn't speak.

"I think she likes it," Edward said.

"She's speechless!" Alice chirped.

I found my voice.

"Thank you so much Daddy! I can't believe you got me this! You are the best daddy in the whole world!" I said, hugging him tightly.

"You're welcome, Sugar Plum Princess."

That was how the rest of the morning went. Every gift under the tree was opened and I got everything on my Christmas list except for the pets. I also got some basic stuff that I didn't even think about. Mostly like boring necessity stuff. We were done with presents by noon and after I ate lunch, we all went outside for a family snowball fight. Apparently it was a tradition of theirs. I was informed that there weren't teams and that alliances weren't allowed. I would have to survive on my own. Jasper took snowball wars very seriously and he was in solider mode. It was kinda funny. Rosalie said that it usually lasted about three hours so I better be prepared. I had no way to prepare. The vamps were gonna kick my butt no matter what.

"Everyone has fifteen minutes to build a fort and make snowballs. After those fifteen minutes, the war will begin and you will have to make snowballs while watching your back. The only way you can lose is when you surrender. And believe me Ella, everyone does that at some point," Mom said.

"Ready?" Dad asked, handing me a new pair of snow-pants.

"Yup," I said as I finished getting my winter stuff on.

We went outside and picked where we wanted to build our fort. I chose a secluded spot between two big trees for a little extra protection. Five minutes later I had a wall that was taller than me and I began to make snowballs. The snow was perfect so I was able to make them quickly. When the timer went off, I had about two hundred snowballs. Everyone else probably had a thousand but that's what I get for being human. I never thought that being human could be such an inconvenience when it came to snowball fights. I've never had one before but I knew that you had to throw snowballs at people and try not to get hit. Even if I had experience in snowball fights I doubt that would help me when I'm against seven inhumanly strong and fast vampires.

I cautiously crept out from behind my shelter with a snowball in each hand. No one to be seen. I knew they were out there just waiting to ambush me. It was kinda scary. I stayed close to the wall and peeked around the corner. Still seeing no one, I took another step forward. Suddenly, a snowball whizzed across the lawn, missed me, and hit the tree. At least now I know where someone is. Turning back, I saw Emmett facing away from me. His eyes were on Alice, who was beginning to emerge from her hiding place. Quickly, I lobbed the snowball right at Emmett. It hit him in the back of the head. I ducked behind my fort before he could see me. Ella one, Emmett zero. **BOOYAH!** I resisted the urge to giggle at my accomplishment.

I saw Jasper sneak out into the lawn. He was facing my fort, so I couldn't attack but at least I knew where three people were. They were all in my line of sight so at least I was safe from them. Jasper turned away and began to creep toward the other edge of the forest. He lobbed a snowball and I saw a flash of long blonde hair shoot across the lawn. Rosalie would do anything to protect her hair. Four people that I could spot. Good.

I decided to get a little adventurous and leave my hiding place. I stayed close to the trees in case I needed a shield but no one had noticed me. Yet. I still had Emmett, Alice, Jasper, and Rosalie in my view and they posed no threat right now. I heard footsteps so I ducked behind the nearest tree. It was Dad looking behind my fort. When he turned around, I threw a snowball right at his face. Hit. He looked surprised and looked around, trying to figure out who hit him and where they were. I tried not to laugh at his expression. Giving a sigh he let it go and started to stalk Rosalie. The five were still in my line of sight. If I could see them all, I would be able to ambush.

The game continued for three hours. Everyone was tired of the lack of action and began to get careless. I won by having a stash of snowballs and attacking them all. The game had lasted a total of five hours and nine minutes. I was exhausted by the end of it.

"You would be great in war. With your stealth and strategy, you'd be one kickass solider," Jasper said.

"It wasn't easy. I honestly don't know how I won. I thought I would be the first one to lose since you all are vampires with super sharp senses," I said.

"With the way Rosalie worries about her hair, she'll never win," Edward said rolling his eyes.

"It's not like I can grow more if something happened to it," Rosalie defended.

Edward rolled his eyes again.

"I think it's time you eat some dinner Sweetheart," Daddy said, coming into the room. All of us kids were sitting in the living room talking about the fight.

"Okay, what did Mom make?" I asked, getting up.

"Chicken strips and mashed potatoes and broccoli," Dad said.

"Broccoli? Yuck!" I exclaimed. It was worse than sun-dried tomatoes.

"You need to eat it, it's good for you," Dad said.

"I'm not going to eat it!" I said firmly.

"Then you will not have any dessert. Don't you want delicious Christmas cookies?" Dad bribed.

I sighed.

Dad knows all my weak spots.

After supper, Dad helped me get all my new things up to my room. It was all in the middle of the floor and I didn't know what to do with it. By bedtime, I had most of it put away in the bins Mom gave me and put in the toy closet. I put the hair dye on my vanity and put all my movies and video games in the cabinet next to the TV. I put all of my electronics on the coffee table to deal with tomorrow. I couldn't wait to play with my iPad. Emmett would have to show me how to work my new iPhone too.

I decided to start playing with my Barbie stuff. I got it out and set it up in the open space that was my play area. I had just finished taking everything out of the boxes when Dad came in.

"Time to go to bed, Princess. It's eleven-thirty and you've been up since four-thirty this morning. I'll clean up all the garbage for you," Dad said, beginning to clean.

"But I just got it all out!" I whined.

"It will be here tomorrow when you wake up. Go get in the shower," Dad told me.

"Can I just play for a few minutes?" I begged.

"No," he said, his voice final.

"But Daddy," I whined.

"You can play tomorrow. Ella, go get in the shower. I will not tell you again," Dad ordered.

I stomped off to my bathroom. How dare he not let me play with my new things? It wasn't like they were electronics or anything. I fumed while the hot water ran over me. I got out and put pajamas on. I brushed my teeth and hair and stomped out of the bathroom to find my dad still there. He was not the person I wanted to see right now.

"Good girl," he said as I climbed into bed.

"Get out," I said.

"Ella, that's enough attitude," he reprimanded.

"GET OUT!" I screamed.

"Do not raise your voice at me. You cannot be rude because I'm sending you to bed. I let you stay up a lot later than I usually do and this is how you treat me? Maybe I shouldn't let you stay up so late again. I expect respect, Young Lady," Dad said sternly.

"Goodnight," he said as he left the room.

"Shut up," I mumbled.

I lay awake in bed, fuming over my dad. He was being a total jerk and telling me to respect him when I was mad at him made me even madder. He didn't get to tell me what to do. It is my life and he does not get to control it. I got out of bed, turned on my lamp, and began to play.

In your face, Dad.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

After getting Ella to bed, I went downstairs to living room where my wife sat reading a book. She put it down as soon as she saw me. She gave me one of her beautiful smiles and I returned it with my own grin.

"I think that this was a good First Christmas for Ella," I said with a smile, reminiscing Ella's expressions when she opened each gift.

"I agree," Esme said.

"She's mad at me though," I said.

"Why is that?" she asked.

"I didn't let her play with her things," I said.

"Oh she'll get over it. You let her stay up much later than you usually allow. I think you were more than fair with her," Esme said.

"**WHAT?** Are you actually _**agreeing **_with me on something? Saying I did something _**right**_?" I asked with sarcastic astonishment.

"Oh hush. You know when your parenting is right and when it is ridiculous. I will always tell you when you do something wrong," she said.

"Will you tell me if I do something right?" I asked.

"Yes, but why?" she wondered.

"Well, encouragement is always nice," I said.

"It's been nice talking to you, but do you mind leaving me alone? I really want to read this new book that Edward got me. It's quite interesting," she said.

"May I read it when you're done?" I asked giving her a pleasant smile.

"Of course, now go," she said, shooing me away.

I left her and went to my study. I was kind of glad that I didn't have to work for a while. I love my job, but my family matters more. It always bugged Esme when I worked a lot and with a new daughter, I needed to have more time at home. Ella probably loved it when I wasn't home but that wouldn't keep me away. She could say whatever she wanted but I knew she truly loved me. I felt like our father-daughter relationship was strained. She didn't talk to me as much and downright avoided me. When I was near her, I could sense hatred coming off of her but I had no idea why. I was so relieved that we got along all right today. Christmas should be happy and stress-free.

I was reading a new medical journal when I heard a quiet 'plink' from Ella's room. I went upstairs to her room and stood outside the door. I listened for a few minutes and heard things quietly moving. I thought maybe she was just tossing in her bed, but it continued for a few more minutes. Having no idea what was going on, I went into her room.

Her lamp was on and she was sitting in the middle of her room playing. I couldn't believe the sight before my eyes.

"Ella! What are you doing playing at one in the morning?" I asked furiously.

She didn't answer.

"Why are you playing when I told you to go to bed?" I asked.

She just sat there with her head down, doll in hand.

"I expect an answer Young Lady," I said sternly.

**"WHY DO YOU NEED TO KNOW?! YOU DON'T GET TO TELL ME WHAT I CAN AND CAN'T DO! IT'S MY ROOM AND MY STUFF! I WILL PLAY IF I WANT AND YOU DON'T HAVE A SAY IN IT! GET OUT!"** she yelled.

No, absolutely not. This disrespect will not be tolerated.

"Ella, I believe you and I need to have a little chat in my study," I said, on the edge of my temper.

"No. I don't want to. I will stay in my room and keep playing. You can go to your study and talk to the wall," she said.

"Ella, you are really testing my patience right now. If I were you, I would do as I say and go to my study. You are walking on _**very**_ thin ice. I will not tell you again, go to my study. Now," I said, putting a threatening tone in my voice.

"No," she said.

This child was going to kill me.

I walked over to her and picked her up. She screamed and kicked and tried to get away.

**"PUT ME DOWN!"** she screamed.

I simply ignored her and carried her to my study. I plopped her down in one of the chairs in front of my desk and went to sit on the other side. She scrambled out of her chair and ran toward the door.

"Ella! Get back here this instant! You are already in trouble and I doubt you want to get into more," I told her.

She ignored that and kept running. She didn't even make it around the corner before I had her by the arms and was dragging her over to the couch.

**"LET GO!"** she screamed.

I didn't answer. I just brought her over to the couch and laid her over my leg. Then she realized what was happening.

**"NO! DON'T! I'M SORRY, DADDY I'M SORRY!" **she screamed, tears running down her face.

Not going to work on me. I secured her and brought up my hand to give her the first swat.

**"MOMMY! HELLLLLLLLLP!" **she bellowed.

This caused me to freeze.

Esme came bursting into the room.

"What the Hell is going on in here?!" she yelled.

Then she saw the position Ella was in.

**"CARLISLE! LET HER GO!" **she yelled.

I instantly released Ella and she scrambled away from me. She blew past Esme and ran out the door.

**"ALICE! JASPER! ROSALIE! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" **she screamed.

I was still frozen. Esme solved that problem though.

**"CARLISLE CULLEN! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT? DID I REALLY JUST SEE WHAT I THINK I SAW?!" **she fumed. This was the angriest I'd ever seen her.

**"I DON'T NEED YOU TO STEP IN, ESME! I'VE GOT THIS ONE ALL ON MY OWN! SHE DEFIED ME AND I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF HER DISRESPECT! **_**STAY OUT OF THIS**_**!"** I yelled.

Scratch that. _This_ was the angriest I've ever seen her.

**"YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU WOULD NEVER BE LIKE YOUR FATHER!"** she shrieked.

That hit me harder than a train.

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**A/N: Sorry that I'm leaving you hanging a little bit. I thought about stopping it sooner but I didn't want to be _too_ mean since I delayed the update. I really want to know what you think of the story. I haven't gotten very many reviews and I am starting to feel discouraged. Is the story not good or what? I want to know how to make it better so it is something you really like. Review or PM with ideas or thoughts because I really want to know how I am doing with this. This is my first story so I need feedback and advice. As you probably know, I started a poll that I really want you to vote on. So far no one has voted and I really need your opinions. I won't start that story until I finish this one but I want to know what to do when I'm ready. Thank you for reading the chapter and extremely long A/N and I hope you liked it! Review and vote! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Over 1,000 views woohoo! When I saw that it gave me a burst of energy to crank out this chapter. I thank you for reading but I do want more reviews. I want to know what you think of the story and my writing. Nothing super exciting happens in this chapter but it is very important, you'll see why! I now present, Chapter 13!**

**Disclaimer: For the trillionth time, I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT! This is just me wishing I did. **

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**CHAPTER 13:**

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

My father. The man who everyone had feared when he was alive, including me. He was an Anglican pastor who believed in evil creatures and tried to kill them. He killed innocent people. Whenever I tried to convince him that the person he appointed was innocent, he would beat me. If I did anything that he thought I shouldn't do, he beat me. If I suggested something, he'd beat me. If I said I didn't want to watch someone burn, he'd beat me and make me watch anyway. My father was a monster, and I had vowed to never be like him.

I broke that vow.

My father had always punished out of anger and frustration. I never handled my children when I was angry and I had never spanked any of them. I had never even mentioned it. I dealt with my children's behaviors with grounding and chores, because that worked. I never needed to resort to violence. Why had I decided to spank Ella? I didn't even think about it, I just did. Even though I was mad at Esme at the time for stopping me, I now am glad she did. I didn't want to think about what would've happened if I'd hit Ella. I didn't give a second thought before I took her over my knee, didn't care.

I was a vile monster, just like my father.

**"CARLISLE! HOW COULD YOU DO SUCH A THING?!"** Esme yelled. I had truly upset her.

I remained silent. I didn't have an answer.

**"YOU WOULDN'T HAVE EVEN THOUGHT OF DOING THAT TO ANY OF OUR OTHER CHILDREN, WHAT MAKES ELLA SO DIFFERENT?"** she fumed.

"I was mad and I wasn't thinking, Esme," I said quietly.

**"NOT THINKING?! YOU THINK THAT'S A GOOD EXCUSE!"** she exploded.

Wrong thing to say.

"Esme, if you'll calm down and allow me to explain, I can tell you what happened."

She took a deep breath before answering.

"Okay, fine, I'll be quiet. I just need to understand why you were about to abuse my poor tired daughter," she said calmly and sadly.

Saying that I felt guilty would be a massive understatement.

"When I told Ella to go to bed, she was playing and didn't want to stop. I got her in bed and left her alone. She got up and played until I went in there at one because I heard noises. I couldn't believe it when I saw her playing. She has been disobeying me a lot and I've had more than enough. I just acted without really thinking and I know that is the worst thing I could possibly do. I'm so glad that you stopped me, I don't want to imagine what could've happened if you hadn't," I explained.

"Carlisle, I am really upset right now. I am really confused and angry so I am not going to tell you what to do about Ella's behavior. There's tension between you two, I can see it. It's probably risen ninety-nine percent now. She is going to avoid you at all costs and probably not forgive you. She was abused before she came to us and now you were going to abuse her? Spanking is considered abuse these days, especially out of anger. You almost abused your daughter, think about that," she said.

I did. I was extremely angry at myself. How could I hurt my daughter? I knew Esme was right, things would never be the same between us again.

"I'm just like my father," I said shamefully.

"And how does that feel?" Esme questioned.

"Extremely horrible and wicked," I said.

"And you like that feeling?"

"Absolutely not. I am so ashamed," I said.

"You should be," Esme said.

"What do I do?" I asked.

"Well, it's going to be hard to make up. Like I said, Ella will avoid you. I suggest apologizing and you'll figure out what to do from there," she said.

"I want to apologize to you too. I'm sorry that I was about to spank your child and that I yelled at you," I said.

"I yelled at you too," she said.

"I deserved it," I said.

"That you did," she said.

"Could you please get everyone to leave? I need alone time with Ella," I said.

"Of course," she said and left the room.

This wasn't going to be easy.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was so afraid that I was shaking. The man that I thought I could trust was going to abuse me. My life was just a vicious cycle. Something bad happens, think that I got saved, even something worse happens. I wondered how many times it would repeat until I died. Dying was becoming a more and more pleasant thought by the minute. I would have to find a way to kill myself later; right now I had to run from my danger.

"Ella! What's wrong?" my siblings chorused as I ran into the second floor living room where they were all sitting.

"Carlisle tried to abuse me!" I cried, throwing myself into the nearest arms. They happened to be Jasper's.

"What now Darlin'?" Jasper asked, confusion covering his face.

"That doesn't sound like Pops at all," Emmett said.

"It's true! I was in my room playing when I should've been sleeping and he caught me! He said to go to his study and I didn't so he dragged me there! I tried to run away so he grabbed me and brought me over his knee! He was about to spank me when Mom came in and saved me! Now I'm so afraid!" I sobbed.

"Ha! Pops was about to give ya a whippin'" Emmett laughed.

Rosalie smacked him upside the head.

"This is serious," she said.

"Dad's never threatened us with a spanking before, let alone done it," Edward said.

I was shocked.

"Does he really hate me that much?" I asked.

"Dad doesn't hate you. I don't know how to explain what he almost did. We've done worse things than disobey him, but all he's done is ground us!" Alice said.

"Then why would he try to spank me?" I cried.

"I don't know Darlin'" Jasper said.

"He hates me!" I sobbed.

My siblings didn't know what to say.

"Children? We are going to go hunting while Dad and Ella have some alone time. They have some things to talk through and we need to give them privacy," Mom said, coming in the room.

Everyone got up and Jasper laid me on the couch.

"No! Don't leave me here alone! Please! Carlisle will kill me!" I screamed, sitting up.

"Sweetheart, your father will not kill you. He just wants to talk to you and then he'll let you sleep," Mom assured me.

"Last time he wanted to "talk" I almost got abused. Don't leave me here!" I begged.

"I forbid him from doing that. You'll be fine. We'll be back tomorrow. Goodbye Ella," Mom said and they all left.

"Nooooooooooooooo!" I cried.

Then the monster appeared.

I backed away as fast as I could.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

My child was afraid of me, and she had every right to be. The way she backed away as soon as she saw me broke my heart. I walked towards her which caused her to back up even farther, until she hit the wall. I stopped moving and just watched her. She was shaking in terror and she looked beyond tired. If only I had let her play. She would probably be asleep by now if I had let her be the content child. All I wanted to do was take her into my arms and apologize.

"Sweetheart," I began, pausing to see what her reaction would be.

"Stay away from me, _Carlisle_," she spat.

I flinched. She was truly upset and frightened.

"Sweetheart, I'm not going to hurt you, I promise," I said.

"Yeah, I've heard that before," she said.

I moved toward her. She bolted past me and out the wide doorway. I had to get her into a room where I could trap her. I followed her around until she ran into the storage room in the basement, which had a regular doorway. I walked towards her until her back was pressed up against the wall. Then she started to climb on top of the boxes. I felt horrible.

"Ella, please get down. I don't want you to fall. I'm not going to grab you, I promise," I told her.

I went back to the doorway and crouched down, blocking it. She looked scared and more tears ran down her face.

"Baby Girl, please let me explain. I need to make things right between us. I love you and I would never hurt you," I said.

She looked like she didn't believe me one bit, which was unbelievably painful.

"Sweetie Pie, I'm so sorry for what I almost did. I'm so sorry for frightening you and I want to make it better. I need to explain something to you but I need you to not be so afraid of me first," I said.

Slowly, she climbed down from the boxes. I winced each time the boxes wiggled, just threatening to hurt my daughter. She pressed her back against the wall and the scared look in her eye was more prominent than before. I was so ashamed to know that I was the one who caused that.

"Sweetie, please come here," I said, almost begged.

She didn't budge.

"Ella all I want to do is comfort you and tell you something. I'm not going to do anything you won't like, I promise. I know it may be hard for you to believe me but please, trust me on this," I begged.

"Carlisle?" she asked quietly.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Do you hate me?" she asked.

"Of course not! What could make you think that?" I asked, alarmed. I had no idea that my daughter thought that I hated her. Maybe I could get to the bottom of all this tension between us.

"I can think of a few things," she said.

"Child, please come to me," I said.

Slowly, she walked forward until she was standing about three feet away from me. I went down on my knees and held out my arms. She walked forward and allowed me to hug her. She stayed stiff but that was all right, she was in my arms. I took comfort in that. I pressed her tightly against my chest and murmured words of love into her ear. She seemed to relax a little.

"Where do you want to go to talk?" I asked.

"The living room," she answered.

"Do you want me to carry you?" I asked. She was looking sleepier by the minute.

"No," she said.

I was kind of sad. It was getting better though. She came near me and allowed me to hug her. I just wanted to take the fear out of her eyes. We arrived in the living room and I sat down at the end of the couch, opening my arms for her to crawl into. She ignored that and sat at the opposite end of the couch. I decided to just get this whole telling her about my human life thing over with sooner rather than later.

"Ella, I want to tell you a story about my human life," I told her.

She looked up curiously. That was a good sign; she was willing to listen to me.

"You know that I was born in the sixteen-forties, right?" I asked, making sure she knew of the time period.

"Yeah," she sniffled.

"Well, things were very different back then. People believed in evil creatures such as witches, werewolves, and vampires and feared them greatly. If they thought anyone was one of those creatures, the suspect would be killed," I began.

"Killed? How?" she wondered.

"There were many ways, ways that you are too young to know about. The most common one was to be burned at the stake," I said. That was the worst I was going to give her.

"Burned at the stake? What does that mean?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"It means to be tied to a wooden pole called a stake, and lit on fire. Another phrase would be 'burned alive'," I explained.

"That's horrible. Does that still happen today?" she asked nervously. Why on Earth would she be nervous?

"No, it does not. It hasn't happened for the past hundred years at least," I told her. She looked relieved. I would have to ask her what worried her so much, but that would wait till later.

"Anyway, that was going on at the time when I was a boy. My father was an Anglican pastor and he was in charge of finding these demons. He would seek out innocent people and sentence them to be burned. I hated when that happened and I always tried to convince my father that they were innocent. Whenever I did that, he made me watch. I hated seeing innocent people cry out in pain and beg for someone to save them. One time, when my father had someone held captive in the cellar of our house, I tried to help them escape. My father caught me and whipped me. He spanked me many times before that, too. That day was the first time he used something other than his hand, and it left scars that I still have today. He would beat me any time that he felt I did something unworthy of a pastor's son. I didn't get a warning, not even once. He would just beat me with no explanation, saying that I was worthless. Once I turned eighteen, I left home and studied every subject you could think of. It kept my mind off of what my father was doing. When I was turned into a vampire, I tried to kill myself. I thought if innocent people had been killed because of my father, I would die since I was the real monster. When I met Edward and became a father, I vowed to never do what my father had done. Only today did I almost break that promise, and for that I am very sorry," I said.

"Apparently your father's personality is in you," Ella said.

That struck deep. Maybe that was true. He was my father after all, so maybe some of his sadistic genes were in me. I shuddered at the thought.

"Sweetheart, I cannot explain what that was today. I do not know what was going through my head that would make me spank you. All I can say is that I am truly sorry and I wish that wouldn't have happened. Please don't be afraid of me, Ella," I begged.

"Edward said that you haven't even threatened to spank them before, so why would you almost do it to me?" she asked, more tears streaking down her sweet face. I wanted nothing more than to wipe them away.

"I don't know, Sweetheart. I can't even guess," I said sadly.

"Why did you tell me that story?" she asked.

"I told you because I'm trying to tell you something. I despise my father and I would never want to be like him. I want you to know that it wasn't in my mind to abuse you and that you are forgiven," I told her.

"But I disobeyed you. I understand if you want to hurt me," Ella cried.

I reached to the other end of the couch and pulled her into my lap.

"I have a question. When I told you about people being burned, why did you look so afraid?" I asked.

"I thought that you were going to do that to me. I would be punished and I would be out of your way. All I am is a worthless human," she said.

"Ella Dixie Cullen, look at me," I ordered.

She looked up, a frightened look in her eyes.

"Ella, I would _**never**_ want to hurt you, no matter what you do. You are not worthless. You are my daughter and I love you. _**Nothing**_ could ever change that," I said strongly.

She just sobbed into my chest. I wanted her to get it all out. She sobbed for ten minutes before she finally started to calm down.

"There, there. Daddy's got you."

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I cried until I had nothing left. I was sick of all the disagreements Dad and I had. I wanted them to stop. I was so tired I couldn't even think straight. I decided to escape the world and fall asleep in Daddy's arms.

I slept for that entire day and night. I woke up on the twenty-seventh, feeling a lot better. I felt as if the dark raincloud was lifting. There would be no more fights between me and my Dad, I was sure. We had talked through so much and worked out most of our problems. My energy was back and I was feeling better than ever.

"Morning Mom!" I said happily as I skipped into the kitchen.

"Good morning Ella, you're cheerful today," Mom acknowledged.

"I'm well-rested and Dad and I worked everything out," I explained.

"I'm glad! What do you want to do today?" she asked with a smile.

"Can we go shopping? With Dad's credit cards?" I asked.

"Getting revenge, huh?" she accused.

"Yep," I said.

"I don't see why not. Go get dressed and we'll go," she said.

We spent the entire day at the mall. I bought a lot more toys and Mom got a lot of stuff for the kitchen. We also went to an antique shop and Mom spent a ton of money there. By the end of the day, we spent over half a million dollars. I couldn't wait to tell Dad.

When we got home, I took all of my things to my room. I went downstairs to find my entire family in the living room.

"Hello Sugar Plum Princess, what did you and Mommy do today?" Daddy asked.

"We went shopping," I informed him.

"How much did you spend?" Dad asked warily, looking at Mom.

"Not that much. Only five hundred thousand, nine hundred and sixty-three dollars," Mom said.

**"WHAT?!"** Dad exclaimed. He fell on the floor and groaned.

"Mission accomplished," I said.

It was getting late so I went up to my room to get ready for bed. I laid in bed thinking about how I would do the next mission, the puppet show. I smiled at the thought. It was going to be hilarious. I went to bed with a smile on my face, I couldn't wait.

**ESME'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"So you and Ella are all right now?" I double-checked. Ella had told me she was all right but I wanted to know Carlisle's view on things.

"I think so. I told her about my father and said that I would never be like that. I told her that I loved her and that she meant the world to me. She seemed to be all right after she understood and she fell asleep with no trouble at all. She was so overly tired so I think that explains why today didn't make any sense," he said.

"I agree. Everything should be back to normal tomorrow," I said.

It was silent for a minute.

"Esme, what do you think made me decide to spank her? I've thought about it for hours, but I haven't got a clue," Carlisle said.

I thought for a minute. Carlisle was the most compassionate person I knew. Why he acted on a whim like that didn't make any sense to me. He had always been against violence and had vowed to never beat our children. He had kept that promise until now. I was about to say that I had no idea when something occurred to me.

"Carlisle, I think you simply just acted without thinking. You did what your first reaction would be. You have your father's blood and instincts in you that are natural and you use them if you don't think first. You didn't think and just acted on a whim. You just realized too late what was about to happen. If I hadn't stopped you, you would have did it and not think about what you were doing until your mind calmed down some. What I'm trying to say is that you went with your natural instincts," I theorized.

"I think you're right. I will never act without thinking again," he said.

"You sure are making a lot of promises," I remarked.

"I know, and I will try with all my heart to keep them," he said.

"I know you will."

We sat there for the rest of the night we didn't speak or anything, just enjoyed each other's presence. We continued that till about five when Carlisle spoke up.

"I've been thinking about Ella going to school," he said.

"I thought you were going to ask your colleagues about Discovery," I said.

"Well, I was but then I thought Ella should have a little say in this. _She_ is the one going to school, after all. Obviously she doesn't know much about that school so I was thinking maybe she could just go during one of their school days and see if she likes it?" he suggested.

"Carlisle, I'm impressed. You are becoming quite the father. I think that's a good idea but I want Ella to have a school by the time Winter Break is over so that wouldn't work. I think that we should just let her try it and see if she likes it. She might move around a lot until she finds one she likes but I think it's important that we let her test the waters. Let's just enroll her and go from there," I said.

"Sounds like a plan. I'll check into it as soon as I can," he said.

With that he carried me upstairs to the bed.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was feeling much better after the night with Esme. I think the storm was kind of rolling over and getting settled. Life was sure about to get exciting. With Ella starting school and beginning her new life, there would never be a dull moment. Esme was at the store, the children were entertained doing their own things, and I was about to sneak off to do something of my own too. I left saying I would be back in a while and drove into town toward my destination.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was playing in my Barbie Wonderland. Everything was perfect there and I envied that. It was a place where nobody knows what bad things are and darkness is light and nobody cries; there's only butterflies.

I played happily in my only escape until I heard Daddy calling my name. I went downstairs and saw him standing in the open door.

My jaw dropped to the floor.

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**A/N: Sorry to leave you hanging, but I couldn't resist! This chapter is very important for many reasons that you'll later see and I hope you liked it! Also if you skimmed Carlisle's story you should go back and read it because it really shapes who Carlisle is. I got the idea from FanFiction author Phoenixhp5t3. She is one of my favorite FanFiction authors so you should go check out her stories. I am in the play the Wizard of Oz and I have play practice from 4 to 9:30 after school every day this week so I might not be able to update. Fortunately, the performances are this weekend and then it will be over with. (It's at the Paramount if you happen to live in Minnesota. It's not too late to buy tickets!) Please review and tell me what you think! Don't forget I started a poll! Thanks for reading!**


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Thank you for being patient during the long wait. The Wizard Of Oz play is over so I am back to updating regularly. Hopefully. It is Spring Break so I of course will get a little crazy with friends but I should definitely have more time. This is the longest chapter so far so I hope you like it. Please enjoy Chapter 14 after the disclaimer. **

**Disclaimer: I am not Stephanie Meyer nor do I own the Twilight Saga. If I did, I'd be sitting on a beach in Hawaii with my feet in the water and a hottie feeding me grapes **

* * *

**CHAPTER 14:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

In the doorway stood a small golden puppy attached to a pink leash. She was about the size of my arm below my elbow and was as skinny as both my arms put together. She would fit perfectly in them. Her fur was wavy and she had big brown eyes. She was shaking and looking around anxiously.

"Is it mine?" I asked when I found my voice.

"Yes. I thought you might like a friend to keep you company until you go to school," Dad said.

"I really get to keep her?" I asked. It just didn't seem real.

"Of course. She was a stray that the Humane Society found three days ago. She has been quiet and well-behaved and shows no signs of aggression. I think she's perfect for you," Dad said.

"Oh thank you Daddy! Does she have a name?" I asked, praying she didn't.

"No she doesn't. I thought you might like to have a pet that you can name," he said.

"I don't know what to name her! I want to see what her personality is first. That might help me figure out a good name. I love you so much Daddy! Is there a reason for this?" I asked.

"Like I said, I thought you might want a friend, but also it's sort of an apology gift," he said.

"Well I love it! Can we go to the pet store to buy her some toys and food and whatever else she needs?" I asked.

"Yes, the only thing I bought was the leash and collar which I thought you would approve of. We can get another set if you'd like," he said.

Wow, Dad must feel really bad. I felt like I had to forgive him. If he didn't love me, he wouldn't have gotten me a dog. I decided to end my grudge.

"Dad, I realize how much you love me. I forgive you completely and I want to pretend like it never happened. Can we start over?" I said.

"Thank you for forgiving me, Sweetheart and of course we can start over. Let's put all of this behind us and focus on giving Miss Golden Retriever a good home. Why don't you take her to a quiet place and try to calm her down? She should relax before we get her back into the car and take her to the noisy pet store," Dad suggested.

"Okay," I said, taking the leash from him and leading the shaking dog to the living room. I could hear Dad telling my siblings to give me and the dog some space for a while.

I sat down on the floor and made a circle with my legs in attempt to contain the dog. She jumped out of it and tried to hide but I kept the leash short. Eventually, she chilled out and laid down in the middle of the circle and whimpered.

"Hey, it's okay. This is your new home. I'm Ella, I'll figure out your name soon," I said.

She looked up and cocked her head to the side as if she was trying to comprehend what I was saying. I stroked her wavy fur, combing it out with my fingers. Her eyes closed halfway and she gave a content sigh. I was such a good mother.

After a while, she stood up, stretched, and came closer to me. She stood up on her back legs putting her front paws on my shoulders and started licking my face. I tried to get away but her smooth tongue was just too long. I heard Dad's quiet chuckle and looked up to find him standing by the couch. His smile was brighter than the sun.

"I just came to see if you and No Name were ready to go," Dad said, raising a brow.

"Yeah, I think so. She's not shaking anymore," I said.

"You did a good job. Do you want me to take her outside to do her business?" he asked.

"No I can, as long as you clean it up," I said.

"If she does I will but I think she just has to go potty. I'll meet you in the car," he said and left the room.

I went downstairs and outside. I found a spot close to the woods and not in plain view so I'm sure it wouldn't bug Mom. No wonder Dad brought me a dog when Mom wasn't home. I thought about what to name her as she tried to find the perfect place to pee. I didn't want a regular, plain name that most dogs had. I didn't want a human name either. I wanted something special. I looked at the dog trying to get a name to come to me. She had gone potty and was now rolling around in clean snow. She was covered with it when she stood up. She was white and fluffy like an angel's wings. Then it came to me: Angel. It was perfect. Angels were beautiful and graceful, which was what the dog was. Angel shook off the snow and I began leading her Dad's car.

"Your name is Angel," I said quietly.

She looked up at me a barked once. I think she liked it.

"Ready to go?" Dad asked, standing outside the car.

"Yeah, should I sit in back with her?" I asked.

"Yes, you might have to hold her. She was scared and whiney on the way here so I doubt this time will be much better. She might be one of those dogs that doesn't like riding in the car. Maybe in time she'll be comfortable with us and feel safe in the car," Dad said.

I got in and pulled Angel into my lap. She whimpered before we even started moving. I stroked her like before and she settled down. Dad started driving and she was still fine.

"I am such a good mother," I said.

"To a dog, maybe," he teased.

"Just you wait until you have grandchildren. I'll be the parent you'll never be," I said.

"Let's not talk about that, Ella," Dad sighed.

"Worrier," I said.

"Have you named your little puppy-dog yet?" he asked, attempting to change the subject.

"Her name's Angel. I thought of it when I saw her covered in snow. White and beautiful and graceful, just like an angel," I said.

"That's perfect," he said.

The trip to PetSmart didn't take very long. Before I knew it, I was trying to persuade my shy little dog out of the car and into the store. She may be small, but she was strong.

"Dad, she's not getting out of the car," I said.

"I think she's afraid we're taking her back to the Humane Society. Just keep trying to get her to come and eventually she'll stop fighting," he said.

I didn't want to wait that long. I sighed and picked her up and started walking towards the door. She cowered into my arms and I could feel her shaking again.

"Or you could just do that," Dad said.

When we got inside I put Angel on the floor and attached the soft pink leash. She stayed right by my feet and almost tripped me as I walked. Dad grabbed a cart and we headed to the food section. Dad selected the right kind and we went to the toy section. I started grabbing all the dog toys I liked and put them in the cart. I must have thrown about twenty in there before Dad told me that was enough. I told him just a few more and I chose some squeaky toys before going to find the dog beds.

"Are you sure Angel needs this many toys?" Dad asked as we walked.

"Yes. I want her to never get bored. I promised her that she would have a good home so what's a better way to start than getting her a lot of toys?" I questioned.

"Just pick out a bed," Dad said exasperatedly.

"Should it be heated?" I asked.

"No, Ella, I don't think that is necessary. We do have a heated house so I think she will be just fine," Dad said, almost sarcastically.

I found the perfect bed. It was square-shaped and neon pink with neon green dog bones on it. It had a canopy with curtains that hung down to block out the light. It was perfect for a princess and it would match my room.

"This is absolutely perfect," I said pointing it out to Dad.

"Ella, that bed it four hundred dollars. Don't you think that's a bit outrageous for a _**dog**_ bed?" Dad asked.

"But it matches," I said.

"All right, fine," he said, giving in.

"Can we go look at leashes and collars and clothes now?" I asked.

"Lead the way."

The store had three full aisles of dog clothing. I started with leashes and collars finding matching sets of neon blue, pink, green, and orange. I also got a soft blue set since I currently had a soft pink set. I bought her a few sweaters, dresses, shirts, booties, and bows in all different colors. I had at least one hundred clothing items.

"I think I got everything," I said to Dad.

"I think so too. I am pushing two overflowing shopping carts after all," he said.

We went to the cash register and started unloading our items. The cashier was in shock when she took in all our items. She had a hard time telling Dad the price.

"I just got her so she needs a lot of stuff," I explained.

She recovered and found her animal-loving self.

"What's your dog's name?" she asked, peering over the counter.

"Angel," I said.

"That's cute," she said.

"All right, now that we have spent six thousand, eight hundred and thirty-four dollars, can we go?" Dad said.

"Yeah, let's go," I said.

We began to leave the store when I saw a machine that made dog tags.

"Please Daddy?" I begged.

"All right, but then we're done," he said.

I chose a tag that was shaped like a dog bone. It had small, heart-shaped diamonds bordering it. It was made out of silver and I had the lettering done in neon pink with a black background.

"Now I have everything," I said.

We walked to the car in silence. It took a while to stuff everything into the car and it barely fit but we managed it. Angel was much more content; she must have known all this stuff was for her. We got home and unloaded everything. Mom wasn't back yet and I was able to get everything set up in my room. I made a special area all for Angel and put her bed, food and water dishes, and toys all in it. I stuffed her bag of food in my closet and made a space in a big drawer at the bottom of my dresser to put her clothes and collars and leashes in. After putting the new tag on her, I let Angel loose and she wandered around the room, sniffing at this and that. She finally settled in her new bed and went to sleep. I was so happy that I wouldn't be alone in my room anymore.

I played in my Barbie Wonderland while she slept. I wanted so badly to play with her but if she was tired I'd let her sleep. It was quiet for about a half hour until Dad knocked on my door.

"Ella, your mother is home and you might want to come downstairs to explain Angel. I will tell her that I got you the dog but you need to be there too. I don't know how she will react. She will probably ask us a lot of questions and tell you to make sure it doesn't wreck anything. Come on downstairs," Daddy said.

"If Mom doesn't like it, I won't have to get rid of her, will I?" I asked.

"No Sweetie, Mommy wouldn't do that. She knows that Angel will make you happy and she likes to see you happy. Like I said, I don't know what her reaction will be but we will find out very soon," Dad said.

"Hello, I'm home. Sorry I took so long, I lost track of time. You wouldn't believe…wait, what's that smell?" Mom wondered.

I looked at Dad and he shrugged. Helpful. He gestured that I should tell Mom.

"Mom, that smell is a dog. Daddy got me a puppy, only nine weeks old," I said.

"A _DOG_? CARLISLE, WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU BRING A FILTHY _DOG_ INTO MY HOUSE?!" Mom shrieked.

I eased my way behind Dad. He was the one who got me Angel, so he could deal with Mom's wrath. He shot daggers at me with his stare and turned back to Mom. I took that chance to escape to my room. Angel was out of bed and running around the room whining. She saw the door open and charged through it. Uh oh. I ran after her. She led me all over the place. She skidded to a stop when she found herself in front of the feet of angry Mom. She seemed to know Mom didn't like her and she ran behind my legs and cowered into the back of them.

"She doesn't usually do that. She must have to go potty or something," I said hurriedly.

"Then get her outside before she pisses on my floor," Mom said icily.

Oh shit.

"Yes ma'am," I said and scurried out the door.

I then realized that I hadn't put Angel on her leash. Great. Now she would just go wherever she pleased. Amazingly, she went to the spot from earlier and peed. We went back inside and Mom was much calmer now.

"At least she's potty-trained. That was my biggest worry. She isn't that bad of a dog, right?" Mom asked.

"She's perfect, Mom. Her name is Angel," I informed her.

"That's a wonderful name. Maybe she will be a good pet," she said.

Dad stared at her incredulously.

"I'm going to feed her now," I said and climbed the stairs to my room.

She ate and drank water before curling back up in bed. All that must have worn her out. Also she was a puppy and needed a lot of sleep, according to Daddy. I thought how Angel might get up early and need to go out so I showered and went to bed myself. I smiled knowing I wasn't alone.

I woke to the feel of something wet licking my face. I forced my eyes open and found Angel on top of me, licking my cheek. I tried turning away but she moved too.

"Okay, okay I'm up!" I said.

Angel jumped off the bed and ran around in small circles by the door. She must really need to go. I opened the door and she sprinted down the steps.

"I got it," Rosalie called and I heard the door open.

I got dressed quickly and went downstairs. Rosalie was just letting Angel in. She ran in and sat by my side. My dog was so weird.

"Morning Rosalie," I said.

"Good morning Ella," she said back.

"Where's Dad?" I asked.

"In his study," she answered.

Perfect, now was my chance to do another part of my make-Dad-go-insane plan. I let Angel roam around the house and I went to Mom and Dad's bedroom. I took all of Dad's socks and left shoes and put them in the family room in the basement. No one was there so I began to set up the stage for my puppet show. I found a bunch of boxes in the storage room and transformed them into my stage. I hid all of Dad's stuff behind it and waited.

"Esme, do you know where all my socks went?" I heard him ask.

"Aren't they in the drawer where they always are?" she asked, perplexed.

"No. All my left shoes are gone too," he said.

"Well I certainly wouldn't do anything with them. Go ask one of the kids, you know how they get sometimes," she said.

"Emmett? Did you do anything with my socks or left shoes?" Dad called.

"No! Why do you always pick on me when something of yours goes missing?" Emmett asked, offended.

"I can think of a few reasons, Son. Forget I asked," Dad said.

I heard him coming down the stairs to the basement. This was it.

"Ella, have you…what are you doing with all those boxes?" Dad asked.

"I have a puppet show! Would you like to watch?" I asked, hopeful.

"Actually I – "

"Pleeeeeeaaaaase?" I begged.

"Well…all right, make it quick though. Your Mom needs me to run to the grocery store," he said.

"Yay!" I cheered.

I went behind the makeshift stage and pulled one of Dad's socks onto my left hand. I put one of his shoes on my right. He sat on the couch across from the stage and sighed. Oh, just wait till he saw this. I popped out my left hand with his sock on it.

"Hello ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Ella's Puppet Show! Please welcome my friend Lefty!" I said in a weird voice. I brought up my right hand with his shoe on it.

"Well hi there! I am –"

I was cut off with a frustrated and outraged growl. I felt myself flying across the room and I landed on the couch. I saw Dad tearing away at my puppet booth. He had all of the mangled cardboard in the trash and all of his footwear in his arms in seconds. I sat up slowly on the couch, a little shocked. Dad had seemed really pissed when he saw that I had his things. Mission accomplished.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Days had passed, now it was Monday and I was back at work. It was kind of nice to be back. I loved my job and it gave me a break from all my crazy children. And the crazy dog. It was exactly one week until Discovery would be back in session and I was running out of time. I was going to get my colleagues' opinion and then on my lunch break, I would meet with the administrator and enroll Ella into their third grade program. I wish she would have chosen homeschooling or at least waited until September.

I signed in and put down my stuff in my office. My eyes fell on the couch where Ella and I had talked for the first time. That memory would be there forever, and I was glad. I went to the main area to the nurse's station to see what there was to do. We weren't very busy yet so I decided to take the opportunity to ask about Discovery.

"I've been checking into schools for Ella and I know that some of your kids go there. I was wondering what you think about it," I said to the colleagues of mine that were there.

"Maria absolutely loves it. I think that it would be a great place to send Ella," said Mary.

"I agree. Lilly is in the third grade and she seems to like it. They do a lot of fun and educational things. I think that it is a very good environment for kids that have been abused like Ella. My own daughter was molested a year ago and she couldn't handle going to school. I did some research and found that Discovery was a very safe school and that they had someone there to talk to kids who have been abused. After about a month of talking with the counselor, Lilly was fine. I don't know if Ella is that insecure, but it is a great school regardless," said Dr. John Wayson, one of my favorite surgeons to work with.

"I think Ella has healed from her past but she has only been around my family. I didn't know they had someone there to help abused children," I said.

"They really care about their students' happiness. The bullying rate is very low and everyone is very welcoming and accepting," he said.

"It sounds like just the place to send Ella. I wanted to go with a private school for Ella but neither she or Esme would go for that. I was shot down immediately," I said.

"Definitely go meet with the administrator today. I will cover your patients while you do," he offered.

"Thank you, John. I feel much better about Ella going to school now," I said.

"You should. Like you, I want what's best for my daughter," he said.

"I guess I should go now," I concluded.

"That you should. See you later, Carlisle," he said.

I went out to my car and headed for Discovery. It was about fifteen minutes from the hospital and also from my house. At least it would be close by. I prayed that I could get Ella in and that she would be happy there. Dr. Wayson had brought up a good point, Ella may not have healed from her past. If she should need it, help was here. I also liked that one of my colleague's children would be in the same class so if Ella didn't tell me something, I could find it out from him if Lilly had said something about it. I arrived at the school and shut off my car. Please God, let there be an open place for my daughter.

The building was a giant square with a small square sticking out in the center. I walked in and was greeted by warm air. In the center was the main office, to the left were staff offices, and to the right was a door that I assumed led into the school. The walls were cluttered with drawings that were obviously done by kids. I walked up to the desk where a woman was sitting, typing away on a computer. She looked up at me and smiled.

"Hi, what can I do for you?" she asked pleasantly.

"I would like to enroll my daughter into the third grade," I said.

"Wonderful! There is a space waiting to be filled and it looks like you have just filled it! Here is the paperwork you need to fill out and the list of requirements and expectations. I will also get you a school supplies list," she said, giving me all the papers.

"Thank you very much. When do I turn it in?" I asked.

"Bring it back by Friday and she'll have a place by the end of Winter Break," she said.

"Thank you," I said, turning to leave.

"Thank you for choosing Discovery, I promise you and your daughter will be pleased. Have a good day!" she said.

That was a lot quicker than I expected. I liked how eager she was and I liked the sign of kids as soon as you walk in. They take pride in their students. I arrived back at the hospital and completed my workday. As I drove home, I thought about how excited Ella and Esme and possibly the other children would be. I went inside and found Ella in the living room with Angel. They were playing with a pink ball.

"Ella, I have some news for you," I said.

"What?" she said and looked up curiously.

"I have the paperwork to enroll you in Discovery," I informed her.

"I'm really going to school?" she asked.

"Yes. My colleague's daughter is in the third grade there. Maybe you'll become good friends with her," I said.

"Can I meet her before school starts?" she asked.

"I'll talk to Dr. Wayson tomorrow and see if that is possible," I said.

"Thank you Daddy!" she said.

"I love you Sweetheart," I said and went off to my study to fill out the forms. They just wanted basic information and medical history. It only took me about three hours to complete. I would turn the papers in tomorrow. Maybe Ella would want to come with me.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I couldn't believe it! I was going to school! It would be nice to know at least one person before it started which is why I wanted to meet Dad's colleague's daughter. Maybe we would become best friends. I imagined all the sleepovers and things we would do together until Angel demanded my attention again. I played with her for a while longer before going upstairs to get in the shower. Dad stopped me on my way up.

"Ella, I filled out the paperwork and I was wondering if you would want to go with me to the school tomorrow and see what it looks like. You might be able to get a tour," he said.

"I'd love to go with!" I said.

"All right. I'll leave work at one tomorrow and come pick you up and we'll go. It's about fifteen minutes away from here," he said.

"Okay," I said and continued on to my room.

I showered and got into pajamas. I gave Angel her bedtime treat and put her into her bed. As soon as I laid down in mine, she jumped up there. I put her back in her bed but she followed me again. Giving up, I let her curl into my arms a tuck her head into my neck. At least she kept me warm.

"Goodnight Angel," I whispered.

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**A/N: I hope you like the chapter. I should update tomorrow or Wednesday. Please let me know if you see any mistakes and let me know what you think of each length of the chapters. I don't want it to be overbearing. In case you're wondering, the play was successful and it was a lot of fun to perform. I started another poll that has to do with this story. It's whether or not Bella should make it into the story and if so, how should she be in it. The other one is about a story that I plan on doing about Renesmee and her other half. Who should that other half be? Please review this chapter and the other chapters and vote on the polls. Thank you for reading! :-)  
**


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I would like to thank Catherine gest Lauros and midns for reviewing, favoriting, and following the story. It's amazing how each little review gives me an itch to write. It's because of them that this chapter is done today. Please enjoy Chapter 15!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any published books therefore I could never own the Twilight Saga **

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**CHAPTER 15:**

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I left for the hospital at seven o'clock hoping to get some extra time to talk to Dr. Wayson. I could only hope that Lilly would want to meet my daughter. She probably had a string of friends and didn't need or want more. Maybe she was a popular snotty brat…stop right there Carlisle. She's most likely a sweet girl who would love to meet Ella. Oh God, when would this fatherly worry stop? I am going to be the first vampire in the history of the world to go gray.

I arrived at the hospital and found Dr. Wayson by the nurse's station again. The nurses were almost as head over heels for him as they were for me. Only they had a better chance at him because he was human and single. His wife had died five years ago when Lilly was two. She was a wreck for the next three years and was molested a year later which made it worse. I had never seen Lilly because he had refused to bring her to the hospital, even on Bring Your Kid to Work Day. He relied on daycare and then on babysitters when she started school. From the way he talked about her, it _sounded_ like he loved her. I wasn't sure, though. I couldn't imagine trying to show love to my kids if Esme had died, I would be too sad and distraught. I would have to see if he would even find a time for Lilly and Ella to meet.

"Hey, John?" I said to get his attention.

"Yes Carlisle?" he said, turning to me.

"I told Ella about Discovery and how it was a good school according to you and she requested to meet Lilly so that she will at the very least know somebody when she starts school. Do you think there is a time this week that they could meet?" I asked.

His usual stressed expression turned into a happy one and he even smiled.

"I think Lilly would like that. She tends to shut herself out and doesn't have very many friends. She tells me she wishes she did. I think that maybe meeting each other would benefit both of them," he said.

"We have nothing going on this week so any day works for us," I said.

"How about tomorrow night? We both get off at seven so we could meet up somewhere at seven-thirty," he suggested.

"All right, your house or mine?" I asked.

"I'll talk to Lilly and see what she's comfortable with. I'll let you know what she says tomorrow," he said.

"Sounds good," I said and walked off to tend to my first patient.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW**

I woke up at nine with Angel licking my face again. This time I got up right away and let her out. I brought her back to my room and gave her some toys to keep her busy while I got dressed. I put on sparkly jeans and a neon orange halter top over a black tank top. I decided to get Angel dressed too. I made her put down her toy and come over to my closet. I put her in the neon orange sweater that had pink sequins on it so we sorta matched. I decided that today I would spend time with my dog. I brought her food dish downstairs and put it next to where I was eating. She ate her dog food while I ate my cereal. Luckily Mom didn't catch her on the table. After we ate, we went back upstairs to my room. I got out my hot pink nail polish and painted both of our nails. She took a short nap while I did my makeup. Just as I was putting my makeup away, Mom knocked on my door.

"Ella, why don't you take Angel outside? I'm sure she would love to get some exercise," she said.

I put Angel on her leash and led her outside. I let her loose and she ran around the yard. We went back in for lunch and then I put her toys by my Barbies and we played. The day that I thought was going to be fun turned out to be boring. Dad called me to his study around eight-thirty. I wondered what he could possibly want from me.

"What is it Dad?" I asked opening the door.

"Lilly is either coming here or you are going over there tomorrow. Dr. Wayson will tell me tomorrow and we will meet up with them at seven-thirty. I just wanted to let you know what was going on," he said.

"Okay, thanks for arranging that," I said.

"No problem, now go get some sleep. I love you Sugar Plum Princess," Daddy said.

"I love you too Daddy," I said and climbed the stairs to my room.

I showered and got ready for bed. This time, I put Angel in bed with me. I figured she would just jump up later anyway. Cuddling my dog, I fell fast asleep.

**EDWARD'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I had always been alone in my life. I had never met anyone I liked as a human, and I hadn't found my mate as a vampire, though I'd been one for ninety-nine years now. I was a hundred and sixteen years old and I had never been on a date. I reminded myself that Carlisle had waited over two hundred years before finding his mate. He was three hundred and seventy and had been married for one hundred and fourteen years. Maybe I would end up like him, I didn't know. All I knew was that I didn't want to be alone any longer.

Female vampires had tried to get my attention, but I had disregarded it. I'm sure that if I went to Denali right now and asked Tanya to be my mate she would accept. In fact she would probably be as dizzy as a schoolgirl with happiness and joy. I had tried to be around Tanya, but I just couldn't stand her. I could have a mate if I wanted to, but I just didn't want Tanya.

I had asked Emmett and Jasper how they found their mates. It wasn't very helpful because _their _mates found _them_. So what was I supposed to do? Sit around for the next hundred years or longer and wait for my Juliet to come to me? I didn't think so. Carlisle had found the entire family by becoming a doctor, was that the key? Did I have to become a doctor to find my mate? There had to be another way. I just had to catch someone's attention.

Of course, I caught every _human_ girl's attention. If only vampires were allowed to mix and have love with the human world. I considered finding a human girl that loved me, date her for a while, and then change her into a vampire to become my soul mate. I shot it down instantly. It was selfish and it would disappoint Carlisle. I didn't want to take another person's life ever again, even if it would benefit me for forever.

I got up off the couch in my room and slowly made my way down the stairs to Carlisle's study. I needed his help in this situation. My parents had worried about me being single but I told them that I was happy being single. I told them that I was happy with just having a family. I had lied. I now felt guilty and sad and it was the worst feeling in the world. Why couldn't I be a happy man?

I approached the door to Dad's study. I knocked quietly and tried to pump myself for this conversation.

"Come in," Carlisle's voice invited.

I opened the door and stepped in. He took in my expression and stance and stood up immediately.

"What's wrong, Son?" he asked.

"I'm afraid I have lied to you, Father," I said shamefully.

A confused expression crossed his face. "_Lied_ to me?"

"Yes." I bowed my head.

"Edward, come over here and we'll talk this out," he said, walking over to one of the couches. When I just stood in front of him, he pulled me down on the couch and patted my knee.

I just sat there in silence. I felt like a baby for having to come to my father about love. I felt weak, like I couldn't manage my own life.

"Son, talk. You are obviously upset and I will not stand to see that. Now what have you lied to me about?" he asked. He didn't show any signs of anger or frustration, just love and concern.

"I lied to you and Esme when I said that I was happy being single," I said. I was so embarrassed.

He was silent for a moment.

"Edward, what in God's Name has been going through your head?"

"I'm unhappy with my existence. I don't like being single and I'm scared that I'll never find a mate! I know that Tanya has tried to get my attention but I honestly can't stand her! I have met many female vampires but I didn't like any of them! There are a lot of girls at school that are head over heels for me but I can't even get to know them! And if I did, it's not like it would last long unless I changed her into a vampire but I don't want to take someone's life away from them! I've done that enough in my life! I'm a monster who can't have a girlfriend!" I ranted. Carlisle stayed silent through all of it.

"Are you done?" he asked calmly.

"I'm sorry. I just –"

"Are you done?" he repeated.

"Yes," I said.

"Good. Now listen to me. Edward, I understand that you are upset. I understand that you don't want to be alone anymore. You knew that you didn't want to be alone when I asked you about it and you didn't tell me the truth. I want to know why, Son," he said.

"I didn't tell you the truth because I didn't want to cause you problems. You shouldn't have to deal with my problems. I tried to deal with it on my own but I now realize it isn't working," I said.

"Good, you realize you sometimes you need help with things. That's all I needed to hear. Now let me explain something to you. You can't make love happen. You have to play the field a little and let it happen. It's almost something you can't control. If you like a person enough, it turns into love and then time tells if it's real or not. I know that it is hard to find single female vampires but they are out there. You have to search, Son. At some point, Mrs. Cullen will find you," he said.

"But I've _been_ searching, Dad. I can't stand being alone anymore. I need a reason for living now," I said.

"Are you saying that you want to try dating human girls?" he asked.

Damn was he smart.

"I think that would give me a better chance," I said.

He studied me for a minute.

"Is there a human girl you are fond of?" he asked.

It was like he could read my mind.

"Maybe . . ."

He sighed. "Edward, it's dangerous but I have faith in you. If you are this desperate, then go for it. We'll deal with whatever comes," Dad said.

"There's one more thing," I said.

He waited.

"She knows our secret."

"_WHAT? _Edward! How could you tell a human our secret? You know that's forbidden!" he reprimanded.

"I swear I didn't tell her. She came up to me last week after school and told me to follow her into the woods. When we got there she said " 'I know what you are' " and told me that I was a vampire!" I said.

"What did you tell her?" he asked.

"I asked her if she was afraid and she said she wasn't. I put her on my back and ran at vampire speed to a spot with sunlight. I showed her what she already guessed and she swore on her life not to tell anybody. As far as I know she's kept that promise and she talks about me in her sleep," I said.

I realized my slipup.

"You've been watching her sleep," Dad said.

It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

"Yes. She says my name and that she loves me," I said.

"Edward, you have gotten both her and yourself into a very dangerous if not deadly situation. I trust that you will be honest with her and manage it to the best of your ability," he said.

"You're not mad?" I asked. I didn't think so but I wanted to make sure.

"No Son, I'm not. Stunned, yes, very much so but not mad. What's her name?" Dad asked.

"Isabella Marie Swan. She goes by Bella," I said.

"The day you go back to school, bring her over to meet the family. I trust that you will tell everyone before then," he said.

"Yes Father," I said and turned to leave. I went back upstairs to my room.

That went a lot better than I thought it would.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was so excited when I woke up the next morning. I was going to meet a person my own age! My own species! I could only hope that we would be friends. If not, at least I would know one person when I went to Discovery. That was enough for me.

I wanted to dress in a fun outfit. Maybe if I could impress Lilly, she would want to be friends with me. I put on an orange shirt, black leggings, a zebra-print skirt, and black flats. I curled my hair and put silver jewelry on. If only I had earrings too. Maybe while Dad was at work I would be able to convince Mom to take me to get my ears pierced. I went downstairs to ask her.

"Hey Mom, can you take me to Claire's to get my ears pierced?" I asked sweetly.

"I suppose it's best to do it when Daddy's not here, right?" she said.

"Yeah, that's kinda what I was thinking," I said.

"Well I don't see why not. Let me get my keys and we'll go," she said.

We got into Mom's Porsche SUV and drove to Northgate Mall. I was so happy that I was finally getting my ears pierced. Dad wouldn't like it but his reaction would be hilarious. I quickly sent a text to my siblings not to say anything to him; I wanted to see how long it would take him to notice. They all agreed not to tell him. Emmett sent me a text asking if I was nervous. I said I wasn't but I kinda was. I would never tell him, but I was afraid that it would feel like getting a shot. I didn't want to start crying in the mall; that would be embarrassing.

Northgate Mall was much too close to our house. Usually it took too long to get there but today it seemed to only take a second to get there. Before I knew what was happening, we were going into Claire's.

"Hi my name's Amber, can I help you with anything today?" asked a cheerful woman.

"Hello, my daughter's here to get her ears pierced," Mom said.

"Well that's exciting! Come right over here and hop up! Let me go get another employee so we can do both ears at the same time," she said and walked to the counter to get the lady that was tending the register.

Trying to look natural, I climbed onto the chair and looked at the earrings they had on display. Of course they had to put the ear piercing station by the window where everyone could see. Oh well, I was determined not to cry.

"All right, did you decide on what starter earrings you want?" Amber asked.

"Yeah, I want the sparkly black stars," I said.

"Ooh good choice, they'll match everything until you can change your earrings," she said.

"Ready?" the other woman asked.

I nodded.

"One . . . two . . . three!" they counted together.

It was a quick pinch that didn't hurt. Amber gave me instructions on how to care for my ears and when I could use regular earrings. I couldn't wait until I could switch them out. I bought about fifty pairs of earrings and Mom paid for it all. She had to be the best mother in the world. We went home after that and I went to my room and got it ready in case Lilly was coming over. I put away all my Barbie stuff and then straightened up my room so that it looked absolutely perfect. I took a picture with my phone because I loved how it looked so much. I heard Dad come in the door, this was it!

I bounced down the stairs. I probably should have put my hair back to make my ears more obvious but it was too late now. It would be funny to see how long it took him to notice anyway.

"Hi Daddy!" I said.

"Hello Sugar Plum Princess. I talked to Dr. Wayson today and he said that Lilly wants to come over here. She will be here in about a half hour, is your room clean?" he asked.

"Yes! I just cleaned it. Do you want to come see it?" I asked.

"I will in a minute. Let me put my stuff down and then I will be right there," he said walking to his study.

The more time he spent around me, the more likely he was to notice my ears, which was what I wanted. I thought about showing him now because I really didn't want him to make a scene when Lilly came over. I decided not to because I would probably get a better reaction if he found it out for himself. Whenever he did notice, it was going to be one of the funniest things I'd ever see.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I put my things in my study and changed into jeans and a light blue sweater-vest over a darker blue dress shirt. Then I went to Ella's room to see that it was indeed clean. Everything was organized and spotless. I knew as she grew into a teenager it probably wouldn't stay that way. I would enjoy it while it lasts.

I wondered how Edward was doing. We'd had a pretty serious and hard discussion last night. He opened up to me when he knew that he had done something wrong. I was proud of my son for being able to admit doing something wrong and ask for help. Unfortunately, love was not something I could easily help him with. Love was hard and it was up to the two in love to figure it out. He would find that out soon enough if he went through with what he started. If anything serious did happen between them, the only thing I would be able to do is give him advice on women. He clearly didn't have any experience with this and I wanted him to treat Bella right, whoever she was.

I walked upstairs and hesitated outside Edward's door. When he didn't say anything, I knocked on the door, perhaps he wasn't paying attention. He probably had a lot on his mind without trying to read mine. I still got no answer.

"Edward, it's Dad, I know you're in there. Can I please come in, Son?" I asked.

Still no answer.

I sighed and let myself in. I wasn't going to let my son shut himself out because he was troubled about something. I stepped in and found him lying face-down on the couch.

"Son? Are you all right?" I asked concernedly.

"No," he muttered.

I went to the couch and moved his feet into my lap.

"Talk to me," I insisted.

"I'm just thinking of all the dangers Bella would be faced with if she became close to me. Our thirst, the Volturi, and she's just so _fragile_. I just feel that she would be hurt if we fell in love. I don't want to hurt a human ever again," he said quietly.

"Son, she knows our secret so you're kind of committed. I think that this will work if you just give it a chance. Who knows, maybe she'll want to become a vampire in a few years and you'll spend forever together. Promise me that you'll bring her home on Monday," I said.

"Okay I will. You really think she'll want to be a vampire? Would that be the right thing to do?" he questioned.

"I think that if it would make you both happy it would be right. Don't worry about that now, just worry about getting to know her," I advised.

"Thank you Dad. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here," he said.

"I'll always be here for you, Edward. Just relax and stop worrying, it'll work out," I said. I patted his knee and left. Dr. Wayson and Lilly would be here soon and I wanted to be there to greet them.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

The doorbell rang and I jumped up. I might finally have a friend! I ran down the stairs and almost fell. Dad was just opening the door when I arrived. Dr. Wayson was standing there but I didn't see Lilly. Then he reached back and pulled Lilly by the arm to bring her into view.

"Hello John," Dad greeted.

"Carlisle," he nodded.

Dr. Wayson crouched down before his daughter.

"Lilly, this is Ella, Carlisle's daughter. Carlisle is a doctor that I work with at the hospital. Ella is going to be in your class at school and we thought it would be nice if you two met before she started," he said.

"Hi Lilly! I'm so glad I could meet you! It's nice to know that I will know at least one person when I start at Discovery. I think we are going to be great friends! Do you want to see my room?" I asked.

"Sure," she said quietly.

"Come on!" I said.

We ran up the stairs to my room.

"Your house is so pretty," she commented.

"Thanks! Okay so here's my room," I said, opening the door.

Lilly gasped. "It's so pretty!"

"Thanks. Do you want to meet my dog?" I asked.

"Sure! I love dogs but Daddy won't let me get one," she said.

Angel came running over to us.

"Oh, she's so cute! What's her name?" Lilly asked.

"Angel," I replied.

We played with Angel for a while and then we played a few games on my Wii. I decided liked Lilly. She was a little shy but she had a fun personality. She just needed to show it more. We sat on my bed and told jokes until Dad knocked on my door.

"Girls, it's almost ten. Lilly has to leave and you, my dear Ella, have to get ready for bed," Dad said.

"Darn," Lilly said.

"We were having so much fun!" I told Dad.

"Good things have to come to an end. You can have Lilly over again some other time," he said.

"Yay!" we both squealed.

I went downstairs with Lilly to tell her and Dr. Wayson goodbye. I thanked him for letting Lilly come over and begged to let her come again. He agreed with a smile and then they were gone. I felt happy as I bounced up the stairs to my room. After I was all ready for bed, Dad came in.

"Good, you're ready for bed," he said.

"That's all you came in here for?"

"No, I wanted to ask you how your time with Lilly went," he said.

"It was so fun! We played with Angel and then on the Wii and then we told jokes. She's shy, but she has a fun personality that I think she hides. I think that we will turn out to be friends," I said.

"Did she tell you anything about school?" Daddy asked.

"No. Which reminds me, we never went to the school today," I said.

"Yes I realized that. We will go tomorrow for sure though," he said.

Daddy held up the covers for me to crawl into bed. He pulled them up to my chin and kissed my forehead.

"Goodnight, Sugar Plum Princess."

"Night Daddy."

I fell fast asleep, dreaming that I was the most popular girl in school.

And guess what, he still didn't notice my earrings.

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**A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Please give me a review for it. Please go vote on my poll too. Also, I began a new story for Harry Potter. It's called Legacy and I'd like you to check it out. The Harry Potter books aren't my favorite but I liked the idea of making a FanFic about it. It's going to be a challenge updating both stories but I'm sure I can manage it! You have a lot of things to do, review, vote, and read. :)**


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: OMG! Over two thousand views! Thank you to those of you who reviewed, favorited, or followed this story, you know who you are. Some did all three! I guess all I'm really trying to say is thank you for sticking with me. This is my first story and it is turning out to be a success because of you. Please enjoy Chapter 16! I have to warn you though, it's the longest one yet!**

**Disclaimer: Now that I think about it, I'm kind of glad that I don't own Twilight, that would have been way too big of a headache for me. All I own is this story which is enough for me. Not really. :)**

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**CHAPTER 16:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

The next day, Dad took the morning off of work to take me to Discovery to turn in my registration forms and hopefully get a tour. The landscape around the school was cheerful. Even though they were covered in snow, there were flower pots surrounding the building. I could see part of a playground in the back, too. We went inside and were greeted by a cheerful lady sitting behind the main desk.

"Dr. Cullen! I'm glad you're coming back with completed forms! This must be our new pupil, correct?" she asked.

"Yes. I'm Ella," I said before Dad could.

"Hello Ella! I'm Julie, the school administrator. Welcome to Discovery," she said grandly.

Dad walked up to the desk and handed Julie the forms. "Would it be possible for you to give us a tour of the school?"

"Of course! Let me just get this copied and filed away and then I will give you both the grand tour," she said.

It only took her a few minutes to complete the task. Then she grabbed her keys and unlocked the doors that led into the school. She showed me around the entire place quickly before stopping at a classroom.

"Do you want to meet your teacher?" she asked.

"Okay," I said.

Julie knocked on the door and poked her head in. "Mrs. Weber? The new student is here to meet you as you requested."

"Wonderful! Come in! Come in!"

Julie held the door open and let us in. The room was just as I expected it to be. The walls cluttered with colorful posters, tables with four spots at each, and a giant whiteboard that stretched across the front wall. The room had an apple theme, of course. The teacher stood up from her cluttered desk and walked toward Dad and me.

"Hello! Welcome to the third grade, I'm Mrs. Weber. You must be Ella," she said.

"Yup, that's me."

"I'm Dr. Cullen," Dad said, shaking hands with Mrs. Weber.

"Nice to meet you," she said. "Ella, would you like to see where your things are?"

"Sure," I said.

She led me to one of the tables in the back of the room.

"This is where you'll be sitting for this month, I change places every month," she said, pointing to a nametag that had my name on it. The other nametags said Jessica, Tyler, and Lilly. Lilly! I was so glad that I would be able to sit by her. "I'll show you where your locker is and how to open it," Mrs. Weber continued.

She took me out into the hall and brought me to a row of lockers. They were numbered forty through sixty. I was locker fifty-five. The lockers were floor-length and wide, plenty of space. They were an ugly blue, though. That was okay because I got a lot of neon things to decorate it with. She told me my combination and showed me how to open it. Then she had me try. I got it the first time with no trouble at all. She and Dad talked for a while before Dad said he had to get into work.

"Goodbye, thank you for coming so I could meet you ahead of time," Mrs. Weber said.

Dad and I went out to the car and he drove me home before going to work. When I got inside, Mom was waiting with a sandwich for me for lunch. After that, I took Angel for a short walk before going to play on my iPad. I was addicted to Apple, let's just say. I had figured out how to work all of my electronics thanks to Emmett. I didn't like all the restrictions Dad put on my phone, though. I couldn't buy any games and I couldn't go on certain websites without "Parent Approval" which I hated because Mom or Dad had to approve it by email which took _**forever**_.

That gave me an idea. I went to and set up an email account. I went to all the websites that needed parent approval and sent it to my new email account. I approved it all and went on the websites. I was feeling like a bad girl, which was an awesome feeling. If Dad found out, I'd be dead, but I didn't care. He couldn't control my life.

The evening passed quickly and it was getting late. I showered and got pajamas on. I climbed in bed. I realized that I forgot to brush my teeth so I got up and did that and flopped back into bed. As I laid there in the dark, I ranted about Dad in my head.

I hated how he was always so protective. I hated him setting limits on _my_ things. Did he really think that I was that immature? I was kinda hurt by it but mostly annoyed. I hated it when he spazzed out when I did something that he didn't think an eight-year-old girl should do. He had told me that I was acting like a teenager and it had to stop. I didn't want to be a little girl anymore. Little girls were weak, and I had always needed to be strong in my life. Just because I didn't need to be as strong anymore didn't mean that I wanted to turn into a flimsy yellow daisy. I dreamed of being sexy and having a boyfriend. Why did I have to be so fricking young?

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Though I would never, ever admit it, I was anxious about Ella going to school. She had been through some horrible things and could easily have flashbacks. I had heard only too many stories about young girls being molested, even raped, right behind a school's back. Even though she showed no signs of post-traumatic-stress-disorder, I was still worried that she would develop it. Ella was a very stubborn child and probably wouldn't tell me things about school if I asked her. Young girls were known for that.

I was also worried about her growing up too fast. She understood things that a person her age shouldn't. I wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. She also acted older than she was. She dressed in the way of preteens. That worried me. She had already been exposed to sex, but it was painful when it happened to her, did she _**want **_that? She had heard Emmett and Rosalie say how wonderful it was; did that mean she wanted to do it willingly? With someone she liked? I didn't want my daughter to turn into a sex-crazed, filthy slut. Even thinking those words about my daughter scared me to death. It was happening so often these days, what were the odds? Maybe not now but certainly later in her life that thought would cross her mind or someone would try to seduce her. If only I could keep her this small forever. I couldn't help knowing Ella was right; I worried way too much about her getting older.

But how could I not? How I raised her now would mold her future, that was a lot of pressure on me. I had a feeling that I wasn't doing a very good job, I let her get away with too many things. I felt that was mostly because of Esme. I didn't doubt her parenting skills, but I felt she was being too easy on Ella. If she was used to getting away with things and getting what she wanted all the time, she would expect that as an adult. Her life would be hard as an adult if that happened, and I wouldn't do that to her. She didn't deserve that. If making her childhood harder would make her adulthood easier, then I would do it. Adulthood was the rest of her life, after all. I would slowly become stricter with her until I felt it was enough.

I debated whether or not to tell Esme about my decision. It would help if she agreed to be stricter too but then again, maybe she wouldn't agree. In the end, I decided not to tell her about it and just ease into it. She was bound to notice and say something sooner or later, probably sooner. Only then would I tell her of my plans and say that she couldn't change my mind. She wouldn't like it, but I felt it was necessary. I probably wasn't going to be Ella's favorite person either. Perhaps when she was an adult, I would explain to her why I was so strict during her childhood and that I only did it because I love her. Hopefully she would forgive me. Above all, I just hoped that this would make her into the woman that I wanted her to be.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

The rest of the week passed quickly and I was forced to get up at six in the morning for school. It started at eight so my time to get ready was very limited. I put on neon yellow leggings, a denim skirt, and a black shirt that had _**SWAG**_ written on it in neon purple and green. I put on black boots that went a little past my ankles and a dark blue headband. I did my makeup gothic except I switched the purple lipstick for red. I went downstairs and carefully ate a pancake. At seven-thirty, Dad and I left for Discovery.

We arrived at seven-forty-five. That would give me just enough time to get my stuff all set up and decorate my locker. I got out of the car with my multicolored neon backpack and started to walk toward the door when I noticed Dad was following me.

"Dad, what are you doing?" I asked.

"I'm walking you in," he said, sounding confused.

"You don't need to. I know where to go. Just, don't ever come into my school without my approval, okay? No offense, but you're really embarrassing," I said.

He looked truly offended. One point for Ella!

"Have a good day," he sighed and walked back to the car.

Could've done without that too, but oh well. I would have to start getting Mom to take me to school, she didn't seem as . . . clingy.

I walked into the school, checked in, and went to my classroom. I put my stuff away and decorated my locker before taking the school supplies that I needed into the classroom. I saw that not everyone was here yet. I was relieved when I saw Lilly sitting at the table. I went over and sat down at the table.

"Hey Lilly!" I said.

"Hi!" she said back.

"You're Ella, right?" the other girl at the table, Jessica, asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"I'm Jessica. It seems that you already know Lilly and Tyler should be here soon. Just wait till you see him, he's so frickin' cute!" she giggled.

Even though I barely knew her, I could tell we had similar personalities. I hoped that she would want to be friends with me.

Just then, a boy walked up into the room.

"OMG! He is so hot!" I squealed to Jessica.

"I told you so!"

"Hi, I'm Ella," I said as a Tyler sat down.

"Hey, I'm Tyler," he said.

His voice, not so hot. It was cracked and hoarse.

I spent time chatting with Jessica about clothes and earrings and makeup until the bell rang. After morning announcements, Mrs. Weber clapped her hands to get everyone's attention before we could start talking again.

"All right class! I hope you all had a good Winter Break, but now we need to get back to business! Before we start math, I would like to introduce our new student, Ella Cullen," she announced.

I stood up. "Hey people!"

"Hi!" everyone said.

I sat back down, unsure of what to do.

"I expect that you will all give Ella the warmest of welcome and invite her to sit with you at lunch," Mrs. Weber said.

Everyone nodded.

"All right then, let's start math!"

My morning classes were math, reading, writing, and then it was lunch. All of the girls wanted me to sit with them so I said to push two tables together and that way I could talk to everybody. At recess, I hung out with all of the cool girls who were Jessica, Lauren, and Amanda. I was officially sworn into their group. In fact, they wanted me to be the head of the group. They were all a lot like me. Fashionista's, hated their parents, and wanted to be older. Our group name was "The Clique". I loved our name. Lilly wasn't a part of it but I didn't need her anymore, I had other, cooler friends. Lilly had her group of nerdy friends, Samantha, Hannah, and Ana, as Jessica told me. All of the boys were cool and hung out in one big group, Amanda informed me. We had partners in The Clique too, Lauren and Amanda, me and Jessica. We were just one group of awesome girls.

"Hey, do you guys wanna go make fun of The Nerds?" Lauren asked deviously.

"Sure," we said in unison.

We walked with swag over to The Nerds who were making snow angels. Children.

"What third grader makes snow angels?" I scoffed as we got closer.

"What?" asked Hannah.

"Third graders that don't have any sense of style and want to be two-year-olds," Lauren said.

We all laughed meanly.

"Oh yeah? Well, Lilly has really nice hair," Ana said.

"_Nice hair?_ Ha! It looks like dry straw with a big pink bow stuck on top!" I teased.

The Clique busted out laughing. The Nerds just looked down.

"Oh, just go away," Lilly muttered.

"Slater haters," I said and we walked off in swag in a diamond formation with me at the front point.

We went back to the tree that we had been perched on.

"You're good," Jessica said.

"I know right!" I said.

"It feels so good being bad," Lauren said.

"It really does," I agreed.

"And you wanna know the best part? They're so afraid of us that they don't even tell on us" Amanda said.

"Awesome! We can do this all the time and not have to worry about adults getting in our way," I said triumphantly.

The recess lady blew her whistle and we went to music class. The teacher was hilarious and I learned that The Clique Girls are good singers, including me. The music teacher even gave me a solo! Ana was heartbroken because she wanted the solo. She thought that she was such a good singer but she really sounded like a dying cat.

After choir, we had science and social studies. The rest of the day blew by and before I knew it, I was standing outside with my girls to meet my mom. She pulled up and I got in.

"How was your day?" she asked.

"Fabulous! Everyone wanted to be friends with me," I said.

"Nice! Did you accept?" she asked.

"No. I'm really good friends with three awesome girls and that's all I need," I said.

"I'm glad you made friends so quickly," she said.

We got home and I went straight to my room and got on my laptop to create a Facebook account. I wanted to start something with my girls. I would tell them to get Facebook accounts. I spent the rest of the day making an awesome page.

**LILLY'S POINT OF VIEW:**

As I rode the bus to the hospital, I fought back tears. The one cool friend I'd thought I have turned out to be one of Them. Part of me wanted to think that they brainwashed her, but the logical part knew that she wanted to be in The Clique. It looked like she was the Queen Bee too. The Clique had been bullying me and my friends since first grade. They came up with a group name for us, The Nerds. The one day I thought they would leave us alone, they bothered us. When I first met Ella, she was nothing but nice. I guess there is something to be said for first impressions.

I got off the bus and walked slowly into the hospital. I ignored the adoration from the nurses and went straight to Daddy's office. I went in without knocking and threw my stuff down, finally allowing the tears to escape.

"Lilly! What's wrong?!" Daddy asked worriedly, coming over to me. He wasn't expecting me, obviously. I always went home to the babysitter after school.

"I hate school!" I cried.

Daddy led me over to his chair and sat with me on his lap. "Tell me all about it."

"I was making snow angels with Hannah, Sam, and Ana when The Clique came over and started bullying us. They had a new member too, Ella of all people! She was the one who threw the first insult, and then one right at me not long after. She said that my hair looked like dry straw with a big pink bow stuck on top!" I sobbed.

"Oh Sweetheart –"

"That's not the big deal though! I'm upset that they're all so mean to us! Always! They call us "The Nerds" and, well, I thought that I was going to be friends with Ella!" I cried harder.

"Lilly, my Dear, do not let words knock you down. Remember this, sticks and stones may break my bones but words could never hurt me," Daddy said.

"Daddy! They're so mean though! They've been doing it since first grade!" I cried.

"What would you like me to do about it? Do you want me to talk to Ella's father about her behavior?" he asked.

"That might help," I sniffled. Mostly I just wanted to get Ella in trouble.

"Then I will go speak with him right now. Stay here and calm down, I'll be back soon, okay?" Daddy said.

"O – Okay."

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was filling out a chart at the nurse's station when I heard someone approach me. I looked up to see Dr. Wayson with a more distraught expression than he usually has.

"Dr. Wayson, what can I do for you?" I asked pleasantly.

"I'd like to talk to you in private for a minute if you have the time," he said seriously, a grave expression on his face.

"Of course," I said and immediately put down the chart. We walked to a deserted hallway before he turned to face me.

"I'd like to talk to you about your daughter. She was inexcusably rude to Lilly today," he said.

My eyes widened. "Rude? To _Lilly?_" It just didn't sound real. It looked like they were going to be friends.

"Apparently. Lilly came running into my office five minutes ago and threw her stuff down and began crying. I asked her what was wrong and she said that a group at school today which they call "The Clique" bullied her and her friends today. Their names are Hannah, Samantha, and Ana. The Clique apparently calls my daughter's group of friends "The Nerds" for some odd reason. She said that The Clique came over to them at recess while Lilly and her friends were making snow angels and they started making fun of them. Insults were said and one was thrown at Lilly from Ella. Ella called Lilly's hair 'dry straw with a big pink bow stuck on top' which really offended Lilly. Though you can't really blame Ella for it being so offensive, Lilly is very serious when it comes to her hair. She said that the whole bullying thing was bothering her more than just the insults alone. She said that they have been doing it since first grade and she just now decided to tell me about it. I asked what she wanted me to do and she said to talk to you about Ella. I think she's just more confused than anything by how Ella acted," Dr. Wayson explained.

I let it all sink in before answering.

"I am too. Personally, I thought they were going to be good friends. I will talk to Ella about it and we will sort this whole thing out. I'd like to believe that it was just a misunderstanding. I am sorry about what happened and Ella **will** apologize to Lilly, regardless. Would you like me to talk to Lilly to see if I can do anything about how she is feeling?" I asked. There was only so much I could do and if I could make Lilly feel better, I would. Ella was going to get a serious talking to when I got home. Then I remembered that everyone was planning on going hunting tonight. Perfect, we would be alone.

"No, I think she's all right. I think it's important that the girls talk this out and figure out what's going on. Your daughter wasn't the start of this, let's leave it at that," he said.

"You don't know that. I am truly sorry for what has happened and I promise we will work it out. Thank you for telling me, Ella never would have," I said.

"I suppose not. I have to get back to work but we'll find a time for the girls to get together to talk things out," he said.

"All right, thank you," I said.

I was confused, angry, upset, disgruntled, but most of all, disappointed in my daughter.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"Ella, we're all going hunting. Your father will be home in about fifteen minutes so you won't be alone for too long. Love you Sweetie," Mom said before darting out the door with my siblings.

I loved not having parents around. It meant that I could do whatever I wanted and no one would catch me and I wouldn't get in trouble. Having absolutely no one around made it better. I continued playing Shopping Spree on my iPad when I heard Dad come in the door. So much for my alone time. I played without a care in the world when all of the sudden, my door burst open.

"Ella, get off that right now and come meet me in my study," he commanded.

"What?" I asked, startled.

"You heard me. Get off that or do I have to take it away from you?" he threatened.

I put it down immediately. "I'm confused, Dad," I said.

Silence. I could practically smell the fumes of anger coming off of him. For what, I don't know. We sat down at his desk in his study. For once he sat across from me, instead of frickin' holding me in his arms. He cleared his throat pointedly. I looked up expectantly.

He just looked at me with this threatening glare.

I stared into his eyes, searching for some sort of explanation. Nothing. He was going to make me figure this out on my own. I looked at him until I got really uncomfortable and dropped my eyes.

He cleared his throat again.

I decided to get smart.

"What? Do you have a frog in your throat?" I asked snottily.

"Do _**NOT**_ test me right now young lady," he warned.

"I don't understand what's going on," I said.

"How did your day go?" he asked dangerously.

"Why do you need to know?" I snipped.

He growled.

Oh shit, I was scared now.

"Care to tell me about your new group of friends?" he asked.

Suddenly it clicked in my mind; he knew. Lilly must have told him or her dad and then my dad found out. I was in deep water, and so was Lilly. That little –

"You understand now, don't you?" he asked dangerously, tearing me away from my thoughts.

"It's about me and my girls, isn't it?"

"That's _**exactly**_ what I'm talking about," he said.

"I didn't want to do it, I swear! Lauren came up with the idea and I went along with it. I know it wasn't right but –"

"Then why did you do it if you knew that it wasn't right?" Dad asked dangerously. Every time he spoke it sounded dangerous.

"Because those girls are all so popular. They just let me in like I was there all along and I wanted to make them happy. I just want to fit in, that's all. I didn't want to say those things to them, but I felt like I had to. I already planned on apologizing behind the other girls' backs," I said. Actually I didn't and I'm proud of what I did, but I sure as Hell wasn't going to tell him that.

"Do you realize what you did to Lilly? She ran in crying to her father. You made her cry, Ella," he said disappointedly.

"Not my fault she's a baby," I muttered.

**"ELLA DIXIE CULLEN!"**

"It's true," I said.

"You're not sorry at all, are you?" he asked.

"Nope."

"Well then, I shall make you sorry," he said, standing up.

"Wha –?"

"Go to your room and give me your iPhone, iPod, iPad, and laptop. You will also hand over your Wii, X-box, and the power cord for your TV," he instructed.

"What? No Daddy, please! I'm sorry! I promise I won't ever do it again! I'll apologize to her tomorrow! I'll do chores! Please Daddy!" I was on the floor begging. He was taking my life away from me.

"Get them for me or I will and you will never see them again. I'm only keeping them for a week, unless you don't cooperate," he said.

"Daddy, please! I really am sorry! I know that I should have never done what I did! I know exactly what I did wrong! I let other girls that are popular push me into doing something because I wanted to be like them! I have a mind of my own and I could've said no! I know I probably lost an almost-friend because of it!" I cried. All lies, I didn't care at all.

"And how does that feel?" he asked.

"Bad!" I sobbed.

"Are you going to do everything you can to fix it?" he asked.

"Yes! I'll call her right now!" I said.

"In that case, I'll only keep your things for three days," he said.

"No! Please! What can I do to keep my stuff?" I begged.

"Ella, I am the adult and I decide what to do. Three days or one week, your choice," he said.

"One day!"

"All right then, four days," he said.

"Three!"

"Go get them then," he told me.

I ran upstairs and deleted the history on all of my stuff. I got smart and took the battery out of my phone. I would protect that with my life. It took me three trips to get the stuff to him but I managed it. I was sobbing each time I handed him something. Especially my phone. I actually kissed it first. I was fighting every reflex to pull my hand back.

"Thank you," Dad said, taking it.

I sobbed and ran out of the room.

"I wasn't done yet!" he called.

"Well I am!" I yelled back.

I sprinted to my room and threw myself down on the bed. I buried my face in a pillow and screamed. Lilly was _soooooo_ gonna get it. I was going to pound her face into the ground. I pictured her all bloody and crying, screaming for Daddy like the baby she is. Devil's grin.

"Ella, can I come in?" Dad asked softly.

**"NO!"**I screamed.

"Ella Dixie Cullen, screaming is uncalled for," he scolded.

**"SO IS TAKING AWAY MY LIFE!"** I screamed louder.

"To give you some peace of mind, just know that I will not go through your things. They are off and will stay that way until they are again in your possession. I wouldn't want you going through my stuff, so I won't go through yours. Just because you are in trouble, that doesn't mean that your privacy won't be respected," he said.

Believe it or not, that did make me feel a little better. I was still mad at Dad and that would never change but . . . that would never change. Why was he being so strict all of the sudden? It's my life, not his; he doesn't have to deal with my problems, or anyone else's. _***Cough, Lilly's, cough.***_ She was so in for it. I couldn't wait to tell my girls about this, they will be pissed at her too. We will come up with something good.

There is nothing I do better than revenge.

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**A/N: This chapter was inspired by my parents' endless screaming at me. Not really but they do that a lot. The idea just popped into my head and I went with it, like a lot of things in my story. Thank you for reading and please review. Don't forget that I have a poll and I started a Harry Potter story. :) By the way, I really like smiley faces. :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) I know, I'm insane! :P**

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**I've been getting a few reviews saying how Ella is a little monster in this chapter. Which is awesome, I wanted that "why is she so mean all the sudden?" reaction. I promise that in the next chapter she is back to being the sweet little girl that we all know and love so please stick with me. The next chapter will be posted tomorrow. And do you really think that Carlisle would let Ella change into a little snotty monster? Nope, and neither will I. Like I said ideas pop into my head and I usually use them. I guess that I just wanted to say that she will be sweet again and it is about to get FUNNY! Thanks for reading!**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Here is Chapter 17! Quite a bit of time passes in the first part of this chapter because I wanted to get on with the big events. I'm not going to say anything else besides the disclaimer.**

**Disclaimer: Again, I do not own the Twilight Saga movies or books. I'm not involved with the film in any way and no copyright infringement is intended. **

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**CHAPTER 17:**

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Taking things away from the daughter I love so dearly was one of the hardest things I had ever done. Especially since they were gifts that I had given her recently. The tears that streaked down her face as she complied to my directions were heartbreaking. It pained me to see her sad, but I knew I was doing the right thing. I think. Esme probably wouldn't be too happy with me but none of them were back yet. I wasn't worried, who knows, maybe the kids are spending quality time with their mother while I am stuck at home dealing with an impossible child.

My cell phone vibrated and I snatched it up off my desk. It was a text from Esme asking if it was all right with me if they stayed out till Friday night. I told her it was fine and she said that she'd come home for a little bit tonight to prepare food and check up on things. I texted her that I was looking forward to spending time with my daughter. She texted that she had to go; Emmett got his head stuck in a log. Big surprise there.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up a half hour early the next morning because I needed to talk to Dad. Last night I had thought long and hard about what The Clique had done. I didn't want to be a mean person, I really didn't, but I wanted to fit in. I was just so confused and angry at myself; I just had to make it right.

"Daddy?" I asked, opening the door to his study.

"You're up early. What do you need, Sweetie?" he asked, putting his book down.

"I want to know how to fix this!" I cried.

"Sweetheart –"

"I don't want to be a mean person but I want to be a part of The Clique!"

"Ella, listen to me. I know that you have a very good heart and I didn't believe it when I heard of what you did. I was shocked and disappointed, but I didn't want to make a judgment before hearing your side of the story. Maybe you should do the same with Lilly's group of friends. Get to know them before you just jump into whatever other girls are doing. You know what else? Nice girls tend to be more popular than mean girls. It's not cool to be mean. I think the best way for you to fix this is to talk to your girls about it and then as a group go apologize to the others. And come up with a new name for them, "The Nerds" isn't nice. Also just stop bullying people all together. I saying for the rest of your school career, Missy," Dad advised.

"Is "The Clique" a bad name?" I asked.

"No, cliques can be good things. It just means a group, basically. As you get older, you'll see that people become more and more diverse. They will only hang out with certain people and will have opinions on everyone else. That doesn't usually happen until middle school but I think you and your group of friends are ready to be older than you are. I'm not saying adults, just older in your mind whereas some kids may act younger. Everybody matures at different rates, which makes life a rollercoaster. You will have good days and bad days, that's just how it is. You have so much to learn, young child, that I cannot possibly tell you," he said, voice ringing with wisdom.

"I feel better now and I think I can clean up the mess I've made. Thanks Dad, I don't know what I'd do if you weren't here," I said.

"Probably everything that I don't allow you to do," he smirked.

"Yeah, probably," I admitted. So true.

"Go get dressed; we have to leave in an hour and a half," he said.

The morning passed quickly and it was recess. My girls and I went over to our tree and climbed up.

"Guys, we need to talk," I said.

"What's going on?" Jessica asked.

"I got in trouble for what we did yesterday. Lilly told her dad who told mine. I was thinking about it and I realized that what we did really wasn't cool. We should apologize and stop being mean. We also need to come up with a different name for them. If you guys don't want to be friends with me anymore, I understand. I'll never talk to you again if that's what you want," I said.

Silence.

"She does have a point," Amanda said.

"Yeah, we should stop," Jessica said.

"I guess so," Lauren said.

"Then let's do this, ladies!" I said and we stacked fists.

We walked over to Lilly, Hannah, Sam, and Ana. They looked scared when the saw us. The Clique looked at me to begin.

"We're not here to bully you, we're here to apologize. What we did yesterday was not cool and we're very sorry about that. We promise to never bully you again. We aren't friends, but we aren't enemies, if you get what I mean. We will probably not hang out together but the least we can do is respect each other. We are also not going to call you "The Nerds" anymore. We will call you by your name unless you guys come up with a group name. We talked this out and are very sorry for what we did, could you please forgive us?" I asked.

"Yes," they chorused.

"Thank you," I said, and we walked back to the tree, naturally falling into formation.

"Nice speech," Jessica commented.

"Thanks, I don't mind acting as spokesperson, I do love to talk," I said.

"So, what do we do now?" Lauren asked.

"Do any of you guys have Facebook accounts?" I asked.

And that was how my school career began. Hard at first, but then it got easier and a lot more fun because of my friends. I was at a place where I could never go into the dark ever again. My life was fabulous. I had got my stuff back and I continued going through school, with friends by my side. The months passed and the snow melted, revealing the wonderful sight of spring. The best spring yet in my life. Time passed, and it was Spring Break. Right now, we Cullen kids were getting ready to dye eggs for Easter.

"Mom, is it ready yet?" Emmett asked impatiently.

"Almost, just chill out. Ella's more patient than you right now," Mom said.

"Hey! That's not nice! I'm never impatient!" I defended, knowing full well that I was usually very impatient.

"All right! There you go, dye away!" Mom said, walking out of the room.

I grabbed one of the hard-boiled eggs and drew wrote my name on it with a white crayon. I dunked it in the blue dye and it came out perfectly. Everyone worked on them, doing different designs. There were over five hundred eggs. Even with the six of us – five of which were supernatural creatures – it would take a while.

"Hey guys! Watch this!" Emmett said, standing where all of us could see him.

We watched as an egg fell from his pants. We couldn't turn away fast enough.

"Look! I laid an egg!" he said. I about puked.

"That's gross!" Rosalie said, smacking him in the head.

**"WHY IS THERE A BROKEN EGG ON MY FLOOR?!"** Mom yelled, coming into the kitchen to see what was going on.

"Emmett laid an egg," I said disgustedly.

Mom sighed and closed her eyes. "Clean that up Emmett before _I_ crack _you_."

"Uh oh, Mama Bear's mad!" Emmett crowed.

And that is how Easter goes at the Cullen's.

More time passed. School was going great with no problems. Life was normal and happy. Time seemed to just fly by and before I knew it, it was the night of June sixteenth. The next day was my birthday. Dad was sitting on my bed tucking me in.

"I can't believe that tomorrow's my birthday," I said.

"Neither can I. It seems like it was just yesterday that I brought you home from the hospital," Dad said lovingly.

"I'm glad that I'm getting older," I said.

"You're going to have a very different attitude when you are an adult struggling to pay your bills," he smiled.

"I won't be struggling, you would make sure that I had enough money living on my own," I smirked.

"Probably," he said.

"What are we doing for my birthday?" I asked.

"That is a secret, dearest Ella," he said.

"Then can you at least tell me where my family is?" They had all left yesterday without an explanation.

"Another secret, Honey," he said.

"Why did they have to leave me with _**you**_, of all people?" I muttered.

He chuckled. "You'll be very happy soon, Sweetie," he promised.

"Just give me a hint? Please?" I begged.

"Sorry Baby. No can do."

"Do you know where half of my things went?" I asked.

"I do, but I can't say," he smirked.

"I hate you," I said.

"Well _**there's **_something new," he said sarcastically.

I sighed. "Get out of my room and let me sleep because according to you, I'm being forced to get up early for a reason that I don't know on my birthday," I grouched.

"Goodnight Sugar Plum Princess," he said, kissing my forehead.

"Whatever."

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Ella would love this once she found out what was happening. She'd better; one of my many bank accounts was taking a great hit in order to keep this a secret until it was time to reveal. I went through our stuff to make sure we had everything. All that was left to do was wait for four o'clock to come.

I thought about all the memories this would bring us. Ella's first birthday with us, I wanted it to be something she would never forget. I wanted her to see how much we loved her, what she meant to us. I had once told her that I would do anything for her. This would be an example of that.

The clock on my computer read four o'clock, time to wake Ella.

I climbed the flight of stairs to her room. When I opened the door, I was prepared for a hyper Angel to come running, but she was with Ella's friend Jessica. It was hard to convince Ella to give her dog away without giving her a reason, but after promising that she would get her back, she reluctantly let Angel go. I had a hard time not laughing at her sour reaction.

"Ella, Ella, wake up Sweetheart," I said, gently shaking her shoulder.

"Mmmmmmmmm," she groaned.

"Wake up Honey," I said.

"No," she said, rolling onto her stomach and pulling a pillow over her head.

I had to smile, she was just so cute.

"Baby Girl, you have to get dressed unless you want to go in your pajamas, which I don't think you do," I said.

I had her attention now.

"Go where?" she asked.

"It's still a secret, Dear," I said.

"Ugh. I don't like secrets," she said.

"You'll find out soon enough," I promised her.

The secrets were going to unfold one by one.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW: **

Fact of life: Getting up at four in the morning _**SUCKS**_. It was even more sucky because I had no idea where we were going. And it was my birthday. I forced myself out of my bed and stood in front of my monstrous closet. I realized that I had no idea what to wear. I didn't want to put on jeans if we were going somewhere where I would need a fancy dress, but I didn't want to put on a fancy dress when jeans were more appropriate. I was also very limited because more than half of my clothes were missing.

"Hey Dad, do I dress fancy or casual?" I asked.

"Dress casual and you probably want to be comfortable," he said.

Jeans, then. I put on really short denim shorts and a strapless zebra-print shirt, just to get on Dad's nerves. I put on zebra-print flipflops and curled my hair. I did my makeup and put on sparkly, zebra-print earrings that Dad was sure to notice. I also put on a sparkly silver choker and a matching bracelet. I pulled my hair back into a high ponytail so Dad was sure to notice my earrings. I had managed to keep it a secret for five months but now it was getting boring. After being sure I wouldn't smile or laugh, I bounced down the stairs to the front door where Dad was waiting.

"I'm ready," I said.

"Here is your purse. I put your phone and . . . are those _**EARRINGS?! **_**WHEN THE HELL DID YOU GET YOUR **_**EARS **_**PIERCED?!"** Dad yelled.

"Five months ago."

**"**_**WHAT?!**_**"**

"Men do not pay attention to detail, it's been proven," I said.

"Whatever. Just get in the car," he said.

Dad put our two huge suitcases in the trunk before getting into the driver's seat. He noticed me in the passenger seat and gave me a reproving look.

"Ella get in the backseat, you know that you're too young to sit up front," he said.

"Please Daddy? Just this once?" I begged, batting my eyelashes.

"All right, fine but do not tell your mother," he said with a sigh.

"She always lets me sit up front," I said.

"Grrr, I can't win," he said.

We sped down the highway into the busy city. We drove for about forty-five minutes when Dad slowed down a little. Covering the area was a huge building.

"Why are we at the airport?" I asked Dad. "Are we flying somewhere?"

"Yes, we are," he said.

"Is the rest of the family here waiting?" I asked.

"No, they went ahead of us," he said.

"Why?" I asked.

"I am not at liberty to explain," he said with a smile.

"This is so frustrating," I said as we pulled into the long-term parking garage.

"You'll love it in the end," he said.

He handed me my suitcase and we walked toward the outside baggage check-in. I had never been in an airport before so this was all new to me. Dad took my suitcase from me and put it on the scale. It read one hundred and four pounds. Holy cow. Dad's was one hundred and eighty pounds so I didn't feel so bad. Watching the employee struggle to get them on the conveyor belt was really kinda funny. Dad grabbed my hand and led me into the busy airport.

It seemed that everyone was there the same day that we were. People were rushing around, kids were crying, dogs barked, and with the constant sound of the security system, it was never quiet for a second.

"Is it always this busy?" I asked Dad.

"Yes, sometimes busier. You should see it on the holidays," he said.

Wow, this was Seattle, I guess.

"Dogs are allowed on planes?" I asked skeptically.

"Yes," Dad said.

"So why isn't Angel with us?" I asked.

"Oh Ella, stop asking so many questions. Here, let's get in line to go through security," Dad said.

We got into the busy line. I watched every person that went through so that I knew what to do, but I still didn't get it. Just as I was about to ask Dad, he handed me a piece of paper.

"Give this to the man at the computer when we get up there, he will give you your boarding pass which is to be put in your purse," he said.

"What do I do when we get to security?" I asked.

"You will have to put all of your things in the bins including your shoes and jewelry. Then you walk through the metal detector and get your things. I will be right behind you so I'll make sure you didn't drop or forget anything," he said. Sounded simple enough.

I handed the guy at the computer the paper Dad gave me. He gave me a shiny slip with a bunch of numbers on it. It said where we were from, but the destination had been covered up. I sighed, the things Dad could do. I put all of the stuff in the bins including my shoes. I didn't want to take my jewelry off because that would be a pain so I just waited for the okay to walk through the metal detector.

"You have to take your jewelry off, Miss," the man tending the metal detector said.

"I'm not going to. I don't wanna and you can't make –" I felt Dad grab my wrist. My bracelet was off and I felt him unclasp the choker. He quickly but gently pulled the earrings from my ears and put it all in the bowl to go through the machine.

"I apologize for my daughter's moodiness," Dad said and gave me a little shove to walk through the metal detector. When I was cleared, I went to the end of the machine and grabbed my stuff. I put my shoes and jewelry back on and stood to the side to wait for Dad. He came over quickly.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked.

"Sorry," I muttered.

"Why did you do that?" he asked.

"I didn't want to take it off. It's my birthday but it hasn't been a fun day. I had to get up at four in the morning, go for an hour long car ride, and practically strip in public. On top of all that, I don't even know where I'm going!" I ranted.

"It'll be worth it, you'll see," Dad said with a smile.

"You say that a lot," I commented.

"I say it because it's true. I promise you will like it in the end," he said.

Whatever, I still wasn't happy.

"Pick a restaurant and we'll go get you some breakfast," Dad said once we were in the food court area.

"I want to go to Perkins," I decided.

We went in and picked a table. I ordered pancakes and Dad just got a muffin and coffee. We got our food quickly and were left alone. The pancakes were delicious, but not as good as Mom's.

"Can I have some of that?" I asked Dad.

"Go ahead, it's not like I'm going to eat it," he said.

My hand quickly flashed out and snatched up the coffee. I quickly gulped down as much as I could before Dad took it away.

"Ella! I thought you were talking about the muffin," Dad said.

"Oh yeah, can I have that?" I asked.

"Absolutely not. You just had sugar and then caffeine. There is no way you're getting more sugar," he said.

"I need it to keep me going," I said.

"Well I'm not going to take a girl who acts like she has rabies on a plane. It's simply not safe, what with her obnoxious behavior," he smiled jokingly.

"That's so funny I almost laughed. Shut up and give me the muffin," I said.

He handed it to me with a smirk. We talked as I ate.

"When does our flight leave?" I asked.

"Approximately ten o'clock, but you never know, it's all according to the weather," he said.

"So why did I have to get up at butt-crack-of-dawn o'clock if our flight leaves at ten?" I asked.

"It's never hurts to be early," he said.

"But it's only eight-thirty," I said.

"By the time we get to the gate, it will be around nine. We can board as early as nine-thirty if everything goes smoothly," he said.

"I'm ready to go," I announced.

"Okay, stay right next to me, I don't want to lose you," he said.

After paying our bill, we began the long walk to the gate. The gates were labeled A through P and one through ten, and of course we had to be Gate P-9. Just lovely. By the time we passed the H gates, even using the conveyor belts, I was exhausted.

"Daddy, I can't walk any farther," I panted.

"I want all of that sugar and caffeine to wear off so keep going," he said.

"Daddy I really can't," I whined.

He studied me for a minute. I tried to look as tired and sad as possible.

"Oh all right," he sighed, giving in. He put my backpack on his back after lengthening the straps and put my purse on the same shoulder as his carry-on bag. He picked me up and I rested my head against his other shoulder. He walked as quickly as he could to the gate, which took ten minutes. When we got there, I used the nearest restroom and got a drink of water. I went back to find Dad sitting in one of the many hundred seats. The bags were on one next to him, I assumed to save my spot. As I walked back, I noticed how packed it was. There were barely any empty seats. I went and sat by Dad and tried to relax, I was really nervous.

"They'll announce where we're going, right?" I asked.

"I sure hope not, I paid an extra five hundred thousand dollars to have them keep it a secret. Everyone in this airport knows not to mention it," he said.

"You're impossible!" I gasped.

"I do what I have to," he shrugged.

"Daddy, I'm really nervous. I've never been on a plane before," I said.

"You'll be okay, Sweetheart. It's no big deal, really. Once we're in the air, you'll hardly notice that we're moving," he said.

"What if something goes wrong and we go in a death spiral towards the ground?" I asked.

"I'd wait till we were close enough to the ground, kick out the wall, and, once I have a secure hold on you, jump out. I'd make sure you were all right, and then we'd stumble back to the scene of the accident as the two luckiest survivors in history," he smirked.

"Very funny, but at least you have a solid survival plan," I said.

"I always have a plan, you never need to worry about that," he said with a smile.

I gave him that one. "I know."

Then our flight was called. Dad led me to our first-class seats and let me sit by the window. I pushed up the shade and gazed down at the tarmac below us. At exactly ten o'clock, the plane pushed away from the gate and rolled slowly onto the runway. Dad offered me his hand and I squeezed it tightly.

"Your ears will hurt a little from the change of pressure once we get in the air but they'll adjust. Swallowing and yawning helps greatly. So does chewing gum but I forgot to grab some," Dad informed me. We began picking up speed and I gripped Dad's hand even tighter.

"I thought you said that I wouldn't feel the speed," I said nervously.

"Once we're in the air," he said.

Just then, I felt the plane incline slightly. My ears started to hurt. It got steeper and steeper until we reached flying altitude. My ears popped and were back to normal shortly after that. Dad was right, I couldn't feel the speed. A voice came over the intercom saying that we could use electronics except for cell phones. I pulled out my iPad and Dad helped me get the Wi-Fi set up. After a while, a flight attendant came by to see if we needed anything. I got water and a bag of pretzels and Dad just got a cup of water, which I assumed would be for me. When I finished mine, he switched it with his. About three hours in, I decided to try for a nap. I was just dozing off when all of the sudden, it got really bumpy. I looked up at Dad, panicked.

"It's just the wind, Sweetheart. We're over the ocean and getting global winds, that's all. Look down, you can see the waves," he said.

I looked down and saw tiny white curls in the endless stretch of blue. There were hardly any clouds in the sky and the sun looked amazing from here. I relaxed a little and was able to fall asleep. I woke up when they announced descent. I made sure all my stuff was together and held Dad's hand as I once again felt the speed when we touched the ground. We rolled to a stop and everyone got up. I followed Dad out and we went straight to baggage-claim. We had to wait a while for our suitcases but that gave me some time to get my bearings. I was a little groggy and discombobulated from the long flight. There was a two hour time difference which was a little confusing but it was only two hours earlier than in Washington. It was two in the afternoon here, wherever we were.

After getting our suitcases, Dad and I walked outside to where my entire family was waiting in the shade. I was greeted by bright, hot sun, palm trees, and the sound of crashing waves. The sunshine sparkled on the water and the palm trees swayed in the slight breeze. It was a warm breeze, but it still felt nice. I guessed that it was about ninety degrees, which I loved. I loved hot weather, but it never got this hot in Washington. I looked around, but I still didn't see any signs indicating where we were. After thinking for a minute, coming up with nothing, I let my curiosity get the best of me.

"Where are we?"

* * *

**A/N: Sorry to leave you hanging, but if I had answered the question, I would have been going on for a few thousand more words. I promise an update tomorrow and that it will be pretty exciting! Please tell me what you think of this chapter. I already have ten review which is awesome! Every time I look at the number of reviews, favorites, and follows, it helps me write another chapter. As you know, I have a crossover story for Harry Potter and Witch & Wizard that you might want to check out. Also please check out my poll, only one person has voted! Thank you, whoever you are! Thank you for reading! :) :) :) **


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Sorry for the wait and I hope you all had a good Easter! This chapter is a little bit shorter than the other ones but not the shortest. I want to say thank you right now to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. I don't know if it's any of you guys but three people have voted on my poll! Please enjoy Chapter 18! It is all in Ella's point of view. **

**Disclaimer: How about a simple, "I do not own Twilight?" **

* * *

**CHAPTER 18:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"Hawaii," Dad answered simply.

"Which island?" I asked.

"Oahu. The city we are in is Honolulu," he said.

"You guys are taking me on vacation for my birthday?" I asked incredulously.

"It is your first birthday with us, we want it to be something that you will never forget," Mom said.

Wow, made me realize how important I was to them. All my life I had been worth nothing. Nothing. I wasn't valued by anyone. And even when Dad had adopted me, I still didn't think I had any value. With time, I realized what it meant to be in a family. I realized what it meant to be loved, to be cherished. I may start believing that there is a reason why I am even on this Earth.

"Do you want to get to our hotel so you can get settled and then we can start enjoying this vacation?" Dad asked, tugging at the end of my ponytail.

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea," I said.

"Let's get a cab," Dad said.

"Already done, it's on its way," Jasper said.

"Perfect," Dad said.

"Have you guys been to the hotel yet?" I asked.

"No, we've been waiting here for you," Rosalie answered.

"If all you did was wait for us to come then why did you go ahead of Dad and me?" I asked.

"We went ahead because it's just more inconspicuous. I acted as the mother, Emmett the father, Rosalie, Alice, and Edward as the children, and Jasper was just a lone traveler who happened to be sitting with us," Mom said with a smile.

"How was your first flight?" Emmett asked.

"Good," I said tonelessly.

"Really? Because I'm pretty sure I was the one who's hand about came off," Dad said with a smirk.

"Shut up. It's my birthday, be nice to me," I said.

The ride to the hotel didn't take very long. I was shocked when I saw it. It was named the Kahala Hotel & Resort. It was a fancy building set on a private beach. I walked in and was met by expensive furniture and chandeliers. Very distinguished looking people wandered about in the lobby. We checked in and got our room keys.

We weren't all staying in one room, of course. Emmett and Rosalie had their own honeymoon suite, as did Jasper and Alice. Dad, Mom, Edward, and I had a presidential suite with a patio going out to the beach. I opened the door and my jaw dropped to the floor.

There was a big open living room with light-colored furniture in shades of white and gold. To the right, was a huge kitchen and a smaller room coming off of that which held a huge hot tub. To the left there was a hallway with three doors, one on each wall. The one at the end was Mom and Dad's, which had a balcony and a Jacuzzi. The room on the left was Edwards, which was the same as Mom and Dad's minus the Jacuzzi and balcony; it had a picture window instead. On the right was my room, it had a Jacuzzi and _beach access_! My room was better than Mom and Dad's! Each room had its own bathroom and flat screen TV. I felt like a movie star.

"Thank you guys so much!" I said happily.

"I'm glad you like it," Dad said.

"Everyone get unpacked so that we can go have fun!" Mom said.

I lugged my huge suitcase into the room and onto the bed. I opened it and found half my wardrobe inside, all summer clothes, of course. It took me a half hour to put everything away and then I left my room to find my entire family sitting in the living room.

"Did I really take that long?" I asked.

"Not for a human," Mom answered.

"Long enough," Emmett muttered.

"So, what is there to do?" I asked.

"What do you want to do?" Dad asked.

"Can we go swimming at the beach? You guys have body suits or something to cover up with, right?" I asked.

"Yes, we have things to hide our skin, everyone go get changed and meet back here," Mom said.

I ran into my room and pulled my pink bikini out of one of the drawers. I took my jewelry off and put on matching pink flipflops. I grabbed my Marilyn Monroe towel and went back out to the living room to find everyone waiting, again.

"Let's go!" I cheered, running out the door.

My siblings ran out the door, threw their stuff down in a pile, and plunged into the warm Pacific water. Except for Dad and Mom, who took their time to lay everything out. I cautiously dipped my toes in, testing it out. It was warm, and the water rolled gently over my feet. The soft sand squished between my toes, feeling like wet flour. I took a step forward into ankle-deep water. I felt a slight pull, but thought nothing of it. I went out a few more feet until I was knee-deep. The pull seemed to have more force now. The current, I realized. I had never been to the ocean before, but I knew what a current was because of school; we'd had an ocean unit. I felt that I was strong enough, so I went out to waist-deep. The water where my siblings were was about up to their chests, so I figured it would reach to about my chin. I was out to about my bust line when suddenly, a big wave came over my head and knocked me right off my feet.

I scrambled under the water. I didn't know how to swim so I probably shouldn't have gone out so far with the current. I felt myself being tossed around as I struggled for air. I could feel the water inside my nose, mouth, and lungs. I tried to scream but it felt like choking. I thought I was going to die when I was grabbed by ice cold arms. I felt my head break through the surface and started coughing up water instantly.

"Hey, Ella, it's all right. I gotcha Darlin'. Just breathe," I heard the soothing accent of my brother Jasper.

"I . . . can't . . . breathe!" I choked out between coughs.

"Yes you can. Ella, look at me," he said.

I opened my eyes and my vision was blurred. Everything was just a blur of colors until his face slowly came into view. I couldn't focus on it for long though, I looked around wildly.

"Can you see okay?" he asked.

"I . . . can't . . . focus," I choked out.

I turned my head to see Dad standing at the edge of the beach, about three hundred yards away.

"Take me back!" I screamed, burning tears streaking down my face.

"We're going Darlin', you got pretty far out. The current's strong today, I couldn't get you fast enough," he said.

"Can't you touch the bottom?" I asked worriedly.

"No, but the current ain't got nothin' on me," he said.

"Please hurry! I can't swim! I don't like not knowing what's under me! There are sharks out here! Hurry!" I screamed.

"Shh, I'm going. There's nothing under us, don't worry. I'm just worried about keeping a tight hold on you so you don't get dragged out to sea again," he said.

"What happened?" I asked.

"A big wave knocked you over and covered all of us, sending you right over our heads. The current caught you and I couldn't grab you fast enough. You were dragged out about four hundred yards before I could get a good grip on you, you were being tossed around like a rag doll," he said.

"Did anyone else notice?" I asked.

"No, I don't think so. There aren't very many people on the beach right now. The people nearest to us are about thirty yards away," he said.

Thank God I didn't draw attention. I felt myself being lifted out of the water, Jasper could touch the bottom.

"Ella! Oh Baby are you all right?" asked my father's worried voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. My throat and nose burn like Hell but I'm fine," I said, coughing again.

"You should drink some water, Sweetheart," Mom said, coming over to us.

"No! I've had enough for a week!" I said.

"One sip," Dad said, holding the bottle to my lips.

I attempted to drink but I had to spit it right back out, it hurt too badly.

"I can't swim," I said.

"I've noticed. Maybe we should be done with the water for today," Dad suggested.

"No, please no! I promise that I will stay right by Jasper or someone. I won't go farther out than they are. Please, let me swim?" I begged.

"All right, but in an hour we are going back to the room to order you dinner. Unless you want to go out for dinner tonight," Dad said.

"Room service is fine, we can go to a fancy restaurant tomorrow," I said.

"Since the suite is beachfront, why don't you tell me what you want and I'll order it when the hour is up so that you'll have a little extra time to swim?" Mom said.

"Um . . . something Italian sounds good. I don't care what, just pasta or something," I said.

"Okay, I'll figure it out," Mom said.

"Do you want to walk?" Jasper asked me as Dad and Mom headed back to their beach chairs.

"Yeah, can you hold onto me when we get deep though?" I asked.

"Of course. I'll teach you how to swim too," he offered.

"That would probably be a good idea."

We walked slowly into the water. I couldn't help but check the bright blue water for shark fins. I realized that my siblings would know if one was near and would get me out of the water so I relaxed a little bit. Jasper grabbed my arm when the water came past my bust line and I was grateful. My siblings drifted closer so that I wouldn't have to go any farther than I already was.

"How are you doing, Little Sis?" Edward asked.

"I'm fine. Thankfully the lifeguard was on duty," I said with a smile.

"Do ya want me to let go?" Jasper asked.

"No!" I shrieked.

"Ella, do you want to learn how to swim?" Rosalie asked.

"Yeah, that would be nice," I said.

It took five people to teach me how to swim. Emmett, because he was the tallest and had the longest arms, supported me while I learned to move, Jasper, because he was so good at telling people what to do, instructed me on how to do a something, Rosalie demonstrated the different strokes, Edward made sure that I wasn't pulling any tricks, and Alice took pictures. Believe it or not, that was important. By the time my dinner was here, I could swim pretty well. Everyone went back to the room with me to keep me company while I ate. I sure would be happy if someday I didn't have to be the only one eating dinner.

"Is the current always that strong?" I asked.

"No, it just is today for some reason. It will be fine for the rest of the time we are here accept for Thursday. If you go in the water then, you won't stay up ankle-deep," Alice said.

"Maybe we can go shopping and look for places to see then," Mom said.

"Sounds good. I want to go to that palace," I said.

"'Iolani Palace?" Rosalie asked.

"Yeah, that."

"Did you know that they have a lagoon here that contains dolphins? I got a pass so you can swim with them whenever you like," Dad said.

"Really?! Can I do that tomorrow?!" I asked excitedly.

"We'll have to see," he said.

I finished eating and changed back into my clothes. I fixed my hair and makeup and went in to the living room to find my family gathered once again.

"What can we do now?" I asked.

"Well, it is seven o'clock so we can't really do a lot so . . . how about we go on that night cruise out into the ocean?" Dad suggested.

"Okay! What do you do on it?" I asked.

"Whatever. It just gives you the chance to relax and see the ocean. There are little shops and restaurants too. We will get back around ten so that'll give you just enough time to get ready for bed and whatnot. I'll go purchase our tickets at the front desk," Dad said and walked out the door.

"So, did you guys get me any actual presents or a cake?" I asked.

"Well, that's kind of the point of the night cruise. We thought we'd do cake and presents there," Mom said.

"Sounds good."

While we waited for Dad, I wandered back into my bedroom and sat down on the couch in there. I took a moment to just take stock of my life. Not just today, but my entire life. I had gone from being an abandoned baby, to being abused, to being put in a hospital, to getting a family, going to school, and going to Hawaii. I felt like I had come so far in such a short amount of time. I remember being a six-year-old child, lying on the forest floor. I had cried and begged for my grandparents to come back, but they never did. The day Riley had found me; I thought that I would be saved. After he hurt me, I'd considered suicide but had never worked up the courage to do it. When I had met Dad in the hospital, I had this, I don't know, sort of pull towards him. It was like I knew it was my only chance. I was so glad that I had opened up to him that day. He was able to help me and give me a home after that. I could never thank him enough for adopting me.

The whole vampire thing didn't bother me, not even at first. I knew in my heart that they were good. Even though at times I'd had my doubts, I had told myself to wait and see. It was hard not to judge quickly because of what I had gone through, whether the judgment was good or bad. I had forced myself not to trust quickly, but also not to be skeptical for too long. I hoped that someday, I would be able to heal from this and be a normal human being. Except for the fact that I live in a family of vampires, of course.

Dad came back and announced that it was time to go. We walked to the port that was about ten minutes away from the hotel and got on the ship that was five hundred feet long. We went straight to a table that was on an outside deck and sat down. We were going to do presents first and then cake.

Dad handed me a silver-wrapped, flat package. It had a blue bow in the corner and said it was from him and Mom. I carefully opened it to reveal a plain white envelope. I opened it and inside was three thousand dollars.

"Oh my gosh, you guys! I was so worried that I wouldn't have enough money to spend while we were here. Thank you so much!" I said, throwing my arms around both of them for a hug.

Edward went next. His was wrapped in red paper and was a big cube. I took the paper off to reveal a box.

"Thanks Edward! I've always wanted a box!" I said happily.

Everyone chuckled and Dad helped me open the box. It contained a bunch of water toys like a squirt gun, a beach ball, a blow-up raft, and other little stuff.

"Edward I love this! Now we have stuff to play with while we're swimming!" I said, giving him a hug.

"The hotel also has a pool so you don't have to worry about anything floating away," Dad informed me.

"I'm still going to use them in the ocean," I said.

"Whatever."

Emmett and Rosalie went next. It was a smaller box wrapped in purple paper. I opened it carefully and found another box, only this one had a picture on it. It was a deck for my iPod so that I could play my music and it would act as a radio.

"Cool! Thanks guys," I said hugging them individually.

Jasper and Alice were next. With Alice, I could never guess. I opened the package to find it filled with a few different things that didn't really relate. The first things that I pulled out were the games Monopoly, Trouble, Yahtzee, and Pretty Pretty Princess. I then pulled out a white swimsuit cover-up that had neon polka dots on it. There were two shoe boxes that contained black high heels and blue high heels. Dad groaned at those and I smiled, I loved them. They would go with a few of the outfits that were here and some more back home. The last thing I pulled out was a Justin Bieber toothbrush that sang "Boyfriend" when you turned it on.

"Now this is what I'm talking about!" I said, holding up the toothbrush.

"The box was filled with a bunch of odd things because we couldn't agree on what to get you. We decided to just put what we wanted in there and give it to you," Alice said.

"Thanks Jasper, Alice," I said, hugging them each.

"Now it's time for cake!" Mom said.

As if on cue, a waitress came out carrying a pink and blue star-shaped cake with nine sparkly candles on it. Everyone sang happy birthday to me and I made a wish before blowing out the candles. What was that wish, you ask? Yeah, like I'm going to tell you.

Mom carefully cut me a piece of cake. The cake wasn't outrageously big, maybe the size of a small pizza, so I was able to eat half of it. We got a box to put the rest in to take back to the hotel.

"Is it custom-made?" I asked, licking frosting from my lips and fingertips.

"Yes, I figured you'd like it if it had a certain design," Mom said.

"Well thanks. What are we going to do now?" I asked.

"We are coming into port now so we can't do anything else. You will be getting ready for bed when we get back to the hotel. I don't want any complaining, Missy. You've had a long day and I'm sure you're exhausted," Dad said.

The walk back to the hotel seemed to take longer than on the way to the port. I looked for things that I might want to check out when I get time. I found a few cool stores but that was it. I saw a surfboard shop and that gave me an idea. I wanted to try to surf. I had seen people doing it from the beach today and it looked awesome.

"Hey, can I try to surf sometime while we're here?" I asked.

"Sure, I'll teach you," Emmett offered.

"Cool."

"I didn't say yes," Dad said.

"Nobody cares what you say," I retorted.

"Somebody's getting snippy," he said.

"It's true," Alice said.

"My children don't love me," Dad sighed.

We got back to the hotel around ten-thirty and I jumped in the shower. I was feeling pretty tired after the long day. I had started it at four o'clock this morning. At least the time change here was two hours earlier and not later, that made things a little easier. I put on summer pajamas and climbed into bed. Dad came in to tuck me in.

"Are you comfortable enough to sleep?" Dad asked.

"Yeah, the bed's fine. I'm a little hyper though," I admitted.

"It's amazing how such a small amount of sugar affects you. Well since you don't want to sleep right now, how do you feel about talking for a little bit?" Dad asked, sitting down on the bed.

"Is it heavy or depressing?" I asked.

"I don't think so. Well, maybe a little bit but I don't think it'll make you cry. Just some serious matters," he said.

"Okay go," I said.

"Ella, when you got pulled out to sea today I was beside myself. I wanted so badly to plunge into the water and swim to find you at vampire speed but I knew I couldn't do that. Humans would have seen me or Jasper would have caught you before I got there anyway. It pained me just stand there and watch you get dragged away. People have died from that before," he said.

"I know that Daddy. I promise I won't go out so far unless someone is close to me. I didn't like the feeling of not breathing. I panicked," I said.

"I'm sure you did. And, like Alice said, the current isn't usually so strong but we'll want to stay out of the ocean on Thursday, okay?"

I nodded.

"Ella, you know that everyone in this family loves you very much and you mean a lot to us. If anything were to happen to you, we'd all be devastated. Something happening to you meaning you dying or getting so badly injured that I can't save you. If something like that were to happen, would you want me to change you into a vampire or let you go in peace?" he asked.

"Which do you want?" I asked.

"It's up to you. Of course I'd try to save you first but if I couldn't, I'd either have to let you go or turn you into a vampire. I just want to know what you would want so that I'm prepared in case something was to happen to you and I couldn't save you," he said.

This was a hard decision for me to make. I didn't want to leave my family because I would never see them in the afterlife, but I didn't know if I wanted to be nine or whatever age I happened to be at forever. I wanted things in life. I wanted to grow up, get married, and have children. If I was a vampire, I wouldn't be able to do that. I didn't know if that was possible in Heaven or not, but I didn't want it to be too late to find out. What I really wanted to tell Dad was to keep me by his side forever so that I could never get hurt but I knew that wasn't an option.

If I was changed into a vampire, there was a definite no that I was ever going to have children. There is an unknown possibility of that happening in Heaven and I wouldn't want to miss out on that chance if there was one. It would hurt to tell him this, but it was about me, after all, not him.

"Dad, I hate to tell you this, but I'd want you to let me go. Try your hardest to save me, of course but if you can't, let me go. I know that there is no way that I will be able to have kids as a vampire, but I might be able to in Heaven. If I could, I wouldn't want to miss out on that chance. I want to be able to see what afterlife is like," I said.

"Thank you for telling me your decision," he said sadly.

"I'm sorry," I whispered.

"Don't apologize, Sweetie. It's your life, you get to choose," he said.

"I love you Daddy," I said.

"I love you too, Sugar Plum Princess. Get some good sleep," he said, turning off the light and shutting the door.

I fell into a dreamless sleep.

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**A/N: I hope you like it! This chapter took longer because I had to do a little bit of research to write it. What happened to Ella in the water actually did happen to me while I was in Hawaii with my family. The only difference is that my brother caught me by my leg and I was under for a lot longer than she was. Anyway, please review and vote on my poll! Thanks for reading! :)**


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: I cannot believe that this story has over three thousand views! I'm so sorry for the long wait, school has really been talking a toll on me. I tried to make up for it by making this chapter longer than all of the others. Until further notice, I will update about twice a week, maybe three times. It all depends on the homework load. Please check back regularly though to see if I have posted any new chapters. Sometimes my fingers can just fly across the keyboard, other times it's like one letter at a time. Thank you for staying with me and please enjoy Chapter 19. Well, after the disclaimer, of course. **

**Disclaimer: I have never and will never ever own the Twilight Saga. I am proud to say that I own this storyline, though!**

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**CHAPTER 19:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Today was Sunday, the official start of my birthday vacation. I got out of bed and put on shorts and a tank top. I skipped the makeup and jewelry, and coated myself in sunscreen instead. I packed a beach bag with my swimsuit, cover-up, and a few of the water toys that Edward gave me. I left my room to find Dad and Mom sitting in the living room watching the news.

"Morning, Parents," I said.

"Good morning, Daughter," they said together.

"What time is it?" I asked.

Dad looked at his watch. "Ten."

"You had no problem adjusting to the time change," Mom acknowledged.

"Is it too early to go swimming?" I asked.

"Wanting to try and drown yourself again?" Edward teased, coming out of his room.

"I suppose you could go, after breakfast of course," Mom said.

"I'm not hungry," I said.

"Ella," Dad started.

"I'm not going to eat if I'm not hungry. I just want to spend some time with my siblings, okay? I'll be back by noon for lunch," I promised.

"All right, but if you're not you can't go swimming for the rest of the day," Dad said.

"Yay! Edward c'mon! We gotta go get everyone else!" I said, going for the door.

"Hang on, let me grab my trunks," he said going to the bedroom and back in a matter of seconds.

We rounded everyone up and I led the way toward the lobby.

"Ella we can get to the beach from this door," Rosalie said, gesturing to the door.

"We aren't going to the beach yet, we're going down the street to buy surfboards!" I said and continued walking.

"Are you sure we have enough time to get them and teach you?" Edward asked.

"Yes, we'll have just enough time to purchase them and teach her how to surf before she has to go back for lunch," Alice said confidently.

We went to the surf shop and each got a surfboard. Mine was neon blue and pink with sparkly silver trim and black flowers. Everyone else just got a solid color since they had their own decorative ones back home. They didn't plan on taking these ones home. Emmett brown, Jasper black, Edward gray, Rosalie blue, and Alice pink. We went back to the beach having an hour and forty-five minutes to surf. Jasper and Emmett said they'd teach me and told the others to go do their own thing. I watched as they took off into the waves.

"First we need to go over a few things. One, if you fall off and are underwater, try to grab the board and just hang onto it, it'll bring you back up. Two, never go out farther than I say you can go. Three, never, and I mean **never**, go surfing when there is no one in the water, understood?" Jasper asked.

"Yes sir!" I said, giving him an army salute.

Emmett laughed. "This is my boot camp!"

I burst out laughing and Emmett and I both rolled around on the sand while Jasper stood there, arms crossed. We got ourselves together and brushed off the sand. We stood there waiting for Jasper to speak as he just stared us down.

"Sorry," I mumbled.

"Are you two done goofing off?"

"Yes, my apologies, Major," I said.

He rolled his eyes and got back to business.

"As long as you understand those three things, I think we're ready to begin," he announced.

We grabbed our surfboards and headed into the water.

"Emmett leave yours on the beach, one of us will have to be holding onto her," Jasper said.

Emmett complied before joining us in the waist-deep water.

"We'll need to go out farther if you actually want to catch a wave but I want to show you how to get on from here," Jasper said. "Emmett, hold the board while I show Ella how to get on."

He showed me how to get on and then I attempted it. It was pretty easy; I put my hands on each side of the board and hopped up onto my knees. Jasper and Emmett then pulled me out farther so that I would be able to practice standing up.

"Go ahead and try," Jasper encouraged as he and Emmett held the board steady.

With them holding it, the board didn't move as much. It took me a minute to regain my balance and I almost fell but I managed to stay on.

"We'll stay right here, but we're going to let go," Jasper said.

When they let go, the board bobbed around in the waves. It took me a while to stand up but I did it. I even stayed up when a big wave passed through.

"Okay, I think you're ready to go. Emmett, push her out," Jasper said, getting on his board.

He pushed me out to where everyone else was surfing. I practiced standing while I waited for a big wave to come.

"There!" Alice shouted, pointing off into the distance. "Stand up in fifteen seconds!" she commanded.

One of the many advantages of having a psychic sister.

I stood up when everyone else did. I was suddenly intimidated by the wave coming towards me. Nobody was here to catch me now. I braced myself as I prepared to ride it. My siblings looked like experts; I teetered trying to stay upright. Luckily it wasn't that big of a wave so I was able to stay on. I did it! I actually surfed!

"Ella! It's time to head in for lunch!" Alice announced.

They all started heading in.

"Um, how do I move?" I asked.

"Just paddle yourself in like we do," Rosalie said.

I put my hands in the water and acted like I was swimming. I was able to keep pace with them on the way in. We dried off and carried our boards into our rooms. Edward and I put ours in the hall closet.

"How was it?" Mom asked, setting my sandwich down on the table in front of me.

"Good, I stayed up," I said.

"Nice! I'm proud of you," she smiled.

I finished my lunch and let the food settle. I thought about what to do. Shopping had to wait until Thursday and I really didn't feel like surfing again. There was just so much of the island that I didn't know about and wanted to see. I dug through one of the drawers in my room and found a map of the island with a list of tourist attractions. I spread it out on the floor and marked the places that I wanted to see.

When I was finished, I had marked snorkeling at the North Shore, hiking Diamond Head, going to the only waterpark on the Hawaiian Islands which was called Wet N' Wild, going to Sea Life, visiting 'Iolani palace, going to Pearl Harbor, and going through the underwater tunnel that was fifteen hundred feet long. It would be cool to be underwater without getting wet and being safe from the dangers of the deep. I brought the map out to show Dad and Mom what I wanted to do.

"These are all the places that I want to go before we leave. When are we leaving anyway?" I asked.

"I think we can hit all these places. We leave on Wednesday so we have until Tuesday to do everything," Dad said.

"Is there anything that we can do today still?" I asked. It was only one o'clock.

"We could do the water park, that's open till seven," Mom said.

"I really don't feel like getting wet again, could we go to the palace?" I asked.

"I think there's time for that. Why don't we get everyone together so we can plan out what to do each day? Then we can go to the palace if that's what the schedule is," Mom suggested.

"Okay, I'll go knock on their doors and tell them to get their butts over here," I said, turning to leave.

"Or we could just call them," Dad said.

"That works too," I said.

Five minutes later we were all sitting in the living room trying to plan out the activities. I wasn't getting much input since it was my birthday vacation and they were supposed to agree on whatever I wanted to do. Normally I would've been thrilled about that, but it was kind of annoying when I needed help on making the decisions.

"Well, any thoughts?" Emmett pushed.

"Give me a minute to plan things out. It would be nice if I had some help in this though, just saying," I said.

I thought for a minute, trying to order things in a way that made sense. I decided on alternating types of activities. One day I'd do something that involved getting wet, the next day do something where I stayed dry. Yeah, that sounded pretty good.

"Okay, I think I've got it. Today we do the palace, Monday we go to Wet N' Wild, Tuesday we go to Pearl Harbor, Wednesday go to Sea Life, Thursday we do our shopping, Friday we could go snorkeling at the North Shore, Saturday we hike Diamond Head, and we can do whatever or find other activities for the rest of the time. We could take a day off in between a few activities too, in case I get really tired or something. I don't care when we do things as long as we get to everything," I said.

"Sounds like a good plan, it should go off without a hitch," Alice said.

"Awesome! Then let's head to the palace! How far away is it from here? Do we need to get a cab?" I asked excitedly. I would finally be able to see Honolulu!

"It's about a fifteen minute walk from here; do you want to do it?" Dad asked me.

"Sure! Let's go!" I cheered.

The walk to the palace wasn't boring at all. The scenery was so pretty and Honolulu wasn't a quiet city buy any means. I watched the cars zoom by and gawked at the occasional glimpses of the Pacific Ocean. When we got to the palace, it was the most beautiful building I'd ever seen. It was white and had elaborate designs decorating the outside. When we went in, we had to put on gloves and were told not to touch anything. The items on display were amazing, looking all polished and perfect. There were artifacts that held hundreds of years of history and china that looked like the most breakable pieces in the world. We stayed there for a good five hours before heading back to the Kahala.

"That was so cool!" I said.

"Everything was so pretty," Rosalie agreed.

"I'm glad everyone enjoyed it. What are the plans for the rest of the day?" Dad asked.

"Well, it's seven and I'm getting hungry. When we get back to the hotel, can I change into something nice and then go to a fancy restaurant?" I asked.

"I think that's possible," Dad said.

I changed into a nice sundress while Dad looked for restaurants. He found this really good seafood place so I decided to try it out. I had shrimp and some kind of fish that was really good. We were done at the restaurant at about eight-thirty and got back to the hotel around nine because we looked around for a while. When we got back, Mom suggested that I get ready for bed and try to get some sleep since we would have a full day at the waterpark tomorrow. I couldn't wait! I went to bed smiling and dreaming of having a blast at Wet N' Wild.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Everyone except Edward and me went to The Big Island to hunt. There were lush forests there with animals that were overpopulated. Edward and I would go tomorrow after we got back from the waterpark. With Ella sound asleep in bed, I thought that this would be a good time to talk to Edward. I called him out to the living room where I was sitting.

"What is it, Dad?" he asked.

"I want to talk to you," I said, keeping my thoughts blank to prevent him from seeing what I was about to talk to him about.

"What about?"

"About Bella," I said.

He stiffened. "What about her?"

"Son, you told me at the end of Winter break that you were going to bring Bella home and you never did. I know that you don't forget things, so don't even try to go down that road. I want to know why you never had her over," I said.

"It's none of your damn business Dad," he snapped.

"Edward," I warned.

"Why does it matter? I'll always be alone in my life anyway," he said just as sharply.

"Edward, did she decline the invitation?" I asked. That was the only reason I could think of as to why he would be so upset.

"No, she didn't have any invitation to decline," he said.

"You never asked her?"

"I was scared that she'd say no," he explained.

"Edward, I don't think you have ever known rejection, so why do you fear? Why are you so hesitant to ask a human girl who knows our secret and accepts you for who and what you are over to our house? It's not like you to go back on one of your decisions, especially when it's an opportunity you've been yearning for," I said.

"But that's exactly it, I'm scared of rejection. I know that I should give it a chance since she knows so much about me but what if it turns out to be nothing in a few years? I think I'd rather be single for my entire existence than go through that kind of heartbreak," he said softly.

"Son, you're not going to get anywhere in life if you believe in the what-ifs. You are a very independent boy and I know that you like to keep your problems to yourself but that will not always work. I am here to help you, but I may not be able to help you with certain issues that may arise later in your life. That's why you need a companion, a mate, a lover, someone who you could trust with your heart, to be with you forever. Sometimes love is all you need," I told him.

"Okay, I'll try again when we get home," he grumbled reluctantly.

"I think you'll be pleased with the results," I said.

"Can you please leave? I need some time to think and calm down," he said.

"No stressing," I said before leaving the room.

He was just so stubborn.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I lay awake in bed in the morning, mentally making a list of things to take to the waterpark. I forced myself out of the comfortable bed to pack my beach bag and get dressed. I put on my swimsuit with an outfit over it since we were going to be swimming the whole day. I put my hair up and went out to the kitchen in search of breakfast.

"I had a fruit tray delivered for your breakfast, is that okay?" Mom asked.

"Yeah, fruit sounds good actually," I said, taking a bite of pineapple.

As I ate breakfast, the entire family trickled into the living room. We didn't want to waste a second so as soon as I was done eating, we were off. We hailed a cab and began the twenty minute drive to Wet N' Wild. It was perfect because by the time we got there and paid, my stomach would be settled enough for Dad to let me in the water. Him and his rules, ugh.

Wet N' Wild was a busy and fun-filled place. It was huge and there were brightly colored waterslides all over the place. Laughing was a constant sound heard from the people that were there. I read through the features while Dad got our wristband and paid. There was one slide that had a one hundred and thirty foot tunnel! I was so going on it. Maybe I could convince someone to go on the tube with me.

"All right! Let's go find beach chairs to set our stuff down on and then go have some fun in the sun!" Mom cheered.

The first slide we went to was the one that flowed into the lazy river. Dad and I got a double tube because I had never been on a waterslide before and was bound to freak out. And Dad was used to me freaking out.

My heart started pounding as we got closer and closer to the top of the slide. It wasn't the tallest one – which Emmett had made me promise to go on later – but it was still a good two hundred feet off the ground. I watched as the people before us went down the slide screaming. That was a reassuring feeling.

Dad held the tube so that I could get on without it slipping away or me being only halfway on it. Dad climbed on after me and pushed us forward a little.

"Ready?" he asked.

"No, just go," I said. He could probably hear my heart about to break through my chest.

He pushed us off and we started into a slow, easy slide. We went around a few curves, down a small drop, and into the pool at the end to flow into the lazy river.

"That wasn't bad, kinda boring actually," I said.

"Let's give your heart some time to slow down; it was beating faster than a hummingbird's!" Dad joked.

We went on a few more like that but they went just a little bit faster. We continued on until we only had two slides left: Tornado and Hurricane.

We met up at the top of Tornado. I would go in the six-person tube with my siblings and Dad and Mom would go in a double. My siblings and I got to the top and positioned the tube. I made sure that I would be facing front, going backwards just seemed a little too scary.

It turns out starting forward was useless. We went down the spiraled slide, turning in circles as we went. The speed increased and we were suddenly inside a pitch-black tunnel. I screamed and gripped on to Emmett's arm. We went faster and faster, spinning toward the bottom until we came back into the light with a massive splash.

"That was epic!" Emmett boomed.

"Scariest thing I've ever done in my life!" I exclaimed.

He grinned evilly. "I think that you're going to change that answer after we ride Hurricane."

Oh crap, there was no way that I would be able to get out of this. Why, oh why had I told Emmett I would go?

We climbed the stairs to the top of the seven hundred foot slide. All six of us went in a tube again, and Dad and Mom went together in the double. It started off with a bang, speeding around the curves and forty miles an hour. After a few fast, wild turns, we slowed down into a nice, steady flow.

Then I saw it, the four hundred foot drop.

I screamed and clutched Emmett's arm in a death grip.

We plunged straight down at one hundred and ten miles an hour, as Alice informed me. It seemed to last forever and it felt like my stomach was left at the top. The rest of the way down was fast and choppy, a lot of bumps and short drops. It eventually came to an end, and I was so relieved.

"I think my stomach got left at the top," I moaned.

"Was I right or was I right?" Emmett asked. I could just hear the smile in his voice.

"Shut up," I muttered.

"It's six-thirty so we need to get going. I had a really good time with you guys," Mom smiled.

I looked up at the clear sky. It was just starting to get a hint of orange at the horizon. I guessed that there was still about two hours till sunset. I wanted to watch it from the beach tonight. We took a cab back to the hotel and Mom ordered me steak, shrimp, and veggies for supper. After eating, I talked with my siblings about how I felt as we went down each waterslide. They laughed so hard at my reaction to Hurricane. Somehow we got on the topic of tomorrow's plans.

"I don't really want to go to Pearl Harbor," Rosalie said.

"Me either," said Alice.

"Neither do I," Edward said.

"I'm not interested," Emmett said.

"While I'm still going," I said.

"I'm in," said Jasper. Of course he was.

"Well maybe Ella and Jasper could make a day of it. We'll do something else. Anyone interested in going to the Polynesian Cultural Center?" Mom proposed.

"Me!" all of the traitors cheered.

"Boring," Jasper and I said at the same time.

"Then it's settled, Jasper and Ella will go to Pearl Harbor, and the rest of us will go to the Polynesian Cultural Center," Dad said.

"Can we go watch the sunset on the beach now?" I asked.

We all walked out onto the pristine beach. It was beautiful as night appeared. I watched as the sky turned from blue to orange, from orange to pink, from pink to purple, from purple to black and alight with shining stars. I went back to my room after sunset and fell asleep, exhausted from the full day and recharging for another one tomorrow.

**JASPER'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was so excited for my day with Ella tomorrow. Sure, it would have been nice if everyone else wanted to go so we could make it a family event, but I looked forward to spending quality time with Ella. The few times that we had done that weren't in a happy situation. Once when Carlisle threatened to spank her, when he yelled at her, and when she was almost carried out to sea. I could only hope that tomorrow would be a happy bonding time. I didn't want to even think about her getting hurt. This was supposed her fun, happy, first birthday as a Cullen celebration vacation and it hadn't had the best of starts.

I told myself that wasn't entirely true. She had loved the waterpark, the palace, the cruise, and a few other moments of the vacation. I guessed that it was just me; I tended to get stuck on bad things and disregard the good. I decided to just let it all go. If Ella was having fun, then that was all that mattered.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up with an aching body. All that climbing and running around had really taken a toll on me. I considered taking a break today but I didn't want Jasper to be disappointed. It was pathetic really; I shouldn't be so tired from playing at a waterpark.

I put a sparkly camouflage miniskirt and an olive green tank top. I put on a matching hat and pulled my hair back. I had emerald earrings that I put on to accent the outfit. I put on sparkly black flipflops and an ankle bracelet made out of seashells. After doing my makeup, I went out to the main room to find someone to make me breakfast.

"Good morning Honey," Mom greeted me as I walked into the room.

"Morning, can you get me some breakfast?" I asked.

"I already started some eggs and toast, it'll be done in about ten minutes," she said.

"Okay," I said, going to find Dad.

He was sitting at the desk in their room, typing away on his laptop. I knew that he wouldn't be able to not work for too long. I knew that it worried Dad to be so far away from his work, he feared that there would be a major accident and he would be needed. My dad was the exact definition of a workaholic.

After I ate breakfast, I walked to the end of the hall to Jasper and Alice's suite. I wasn't sure when we were going but I figured that I would let him know that I was ready whenever he was. I knocked on the door and waited for one of them to open up.

"Good morning Darlin', what can I do for you?" Jasper said, opening the door.

"I was just wondering when we were going. I don't know what you have planned but I figured I'd tell you that I was ready," I said.

"Well, it's ten-thirty now so why don't we plan on leaving at twelve-thirty? It closes at six so that will give us plenty of time. You can eat lunch and we'll be back in time for dinner," he said.

"Okay, come get me at twelve-thirty then," I said running back to the other side of the hotel to the room.

I told Dad and Mom the plan and went to my bedroom to watch TV. I flipped through the channels until I found E! and settled in to watch. Not even fifteen minutes later, there was a light knock on the door.

"What?" I called.

"Do you have a minute?" Edward asked.

"Yeah, sure, come on in," I said turning the TV off.

"Thanks," he said.

"What do you need?" I asked.

"I have a . . . problem," he said.

"Problem?" I asked. Why did a vampire need me to help with a problem?

"Yeah, well, I guess I need advice," he said.

"Just spit it out Edward. You're obviously very troubled if you're coming to a human for help," I said.

"Well, there's this girl at school that I like. She's human, and she knows our secret. I didn't tell her, I swear, she figured it out and confronted me. She kinda has a crush on me and I kinda have a crush on her. When I talked to Dad about it over Winter Break, he told me to bring her home after school the first day back. I never did because I was afraid that she wouldn't have accepted the invitation. I talked to Dad about it again and he told me to bring her home. I just want to know your thoughts on the situation," he said.

It took a minute for this all to sink in. How had I not known about this?

"Edward, you have to take a chance. You've been single your entire life or existence or whatever, do you want it to stay that way? Do you want to a Momma's Boy for the rest of forever? You are a man with an opportunity, and if I was that girl, I'd want him to take it," I said.

He thought about it. "You're right. I guess I will bring her home sometime soon. Thanks Sis, I feel a lot better about the situation now," he said.

"That's what awesome little sisters are for. One question though, what's Mystery Girl's name?" I asked.

"Bella," he answered.

"Cool, our names are similar," I said.

He smiled his crooked smile and turned to leave. He shut the door behind him. I turned the TV back on and watched until Mom called me out for lunch. As soon as I finished my salad, Jasper knocked on the door asking if I was ready. I guessed that Alice had given him some foresight. We walked down to the lobby and hailed a cab to take us to Pearl Harbor. It only took twenty minutes before I found myself standing at the entrance of what used to be a warzone.

We spent some time in the main area, reading about the history of the war and the events. Despite my hate of history, I actually found this quite interesting. I learned about what caused it and the effects of it. We then took a small boat to the sight where a few ships went down. We also went in a submarine to see what was left on the bottom of the ocean. It was so cool and scary at the same time. There were no fish in the water, just endless blue-grey water. It looked like the perfect place for a sea monster to emerge.

After we got off the submarine, we went to the memorial with all of the names of the people who died. It felt so weird, standing there knowing that this place had once been bombed. A wave of sadness and mysteriousness washed over this place constantly. I stared at the pictures they had on display, not really looking at them. The emotional effect was so strong, like nothing I'd ever felt before. I couldn't imagine what Jasper must feel, it was probably almost unbearable.

"You all right Darlin'?" he asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Yeah I'm fine. Just a little . . . whoa from the emotions, you know?"

"Trust me, you have no idea," he said.

We stayed there for a while longer before wandering out of the harbor. We ended up at a nearby park and sat down on the bench. We sat in comfortable silence for a while before I broke it.

"Jasper?" I asked.

He looked up. "Yes?"

"I feel like I want to grow up faster than I am, I always have. I don't know why I do and it bothers me. I usually always feel like I'm being treated like a child, I know I am, but in my mind I'm not. It just gets so confusing and I get stressed out. I know that Dad and Mom don't like my attitude but I can't help it. How do I stop my want of growing up so quickly?" I asked.

He smiled. "Darlin' I don't think you realize what you got. I did the same thing when I was a boy and, as I got to be older, I wished that I could go back in time. Of course things were different back then, life was harder but the want to be older is all the same. If I could be a boy again, just for a day, I'd give anything to do so. Enjoy your childhood while it lasts because adulthood is a lot longer and you'll have plenty of time to do everything you want to do as an adult."

I mulled over his words. Jasper was, like Dad, very wise but in his own, individual way. The words he had said were very meaningful and true, but I just couldn't understand why growing up was bad. I knew that life got harder, but that's just how it is. I decided that now I would put my all into enjoying my childhood. I'd do it for Jasper.

"Thanks Jasper, I'll try to look at everything I have and be satisfied with it," I said.

"Good, because it won't last forever," he said.

After a while of chatting, we got a cab and went back to the hotel. I ate dinner and then we all went for a night swim in the outdoor pool. I had brought all of my water toys from Edward with me and squirted water at everybody. It annoyed the Hell out of Emmett. Now he knew how I felt. We swam until Dad deemed it time for me to go get ready for bed. I showered and got into pajamas and climbed in bed. I prayed for a good night's sleep since we would be going to Sea Life tomorrow, which was sure to be an adventure. After all, vacation with the Cullen's is nothing like you've ever seen before.

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**A/N: I hope this chapter was satisfying! Like I said earlier, updates will not be as regular but they will be there. I know that this chapter was ridiculously long but I wanted to make up for the wait. My poll is still going and will be for a while yet so please go vote if you haven't already. Also, please review this chapter. You have your work cut out for you, review and vote! :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: I apologize yet again for the long wait. I am a little muddled by the lack of response to the previous chapter, was it not that good of one? Please let me know how to improve it. I present, Chapter 20!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything Twilight accept for all the posters and dolls and crap I have. And NOBODY is getting their hands on those. LOL!**

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**CHAPTER 20:**

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I couldn't stay away any longer. I hadn't spent a lot of time with my daughter so far on this vacation and I couldn't stand it. I kissed my wife's cheek, left our room, and crawled into bed next to my daughter. Ever so slowly and gently, I slipped my arm under Ella and pulled her into my chest. I supported her back with my left arm and used my right one to tuck her head against my chest. She gave a content sigh and twitched. I smiled and kissed her forehead.

It was hard to remember that I wasn't her father from the beginning. She hadn't even been living with us for a year, but I couldn't even remember my life before she came into it. Well, I could, but it seemed dreadfully bland. I had missed her for three hundred and seventy years but I hadn't known it until I found her in that corner of the hospital.

I would give anything to have been able to be her biological father. I would have loved to have watched as Esme gave birth to a healthy baby girl. I would have loved to feed her mushy baby food and change her dirty diapers. I would have loved to teach her how to walk and ride a bike. I would have loved to patch up her bloody knee as Esme comforted her and told her to keep trying and never give up. I would have loved to bring her to her kindergarten classroom on the first day of school. I would have loved to have every single day of those eight years before I met her, but I couldn't have them. I had to focus on the present and future, the experiences I could have.

I watched as she began to awake. Her heart rate increased and her eyelids squeezed tightly before fluttering open. She rubbed her eyes and yawned, my smiling face coming into focus.

"Good morning, Sugar Plum Princess," I smiled.

"What time is it?" she croaked, stretching and scooting away a little.

I pulled her close again. "Nine-thirty. It sound like you need some water, would you like me to get you some?"

"No I'm good. Why are you in here?" she asked.

"I honestly do not know. I guess I missed you and couldn't wait for you to wake up to see you. I haven't been spending a lot of time with you, have I?"

"I've been busy. It hasn't bothered me or anything," she said.

Of course not. "Well we will spend time together today," I said with a smile.

"I need a human moment," she said.

"Of course." I helped her off the bed before leaving to tell Esme to start Ella's breakfast.

I felt so human.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

As I got ready for the day, I thought about Dad. He had said that he wanted to spend more time with me, had I been ignoring him? I didn't think so; I'd just been doing things with my brothers and sisters. They were more fun than adults, that was for sure. Adults were just . . . boring. I loved my parents very much but they just weren't fun to be around.

I went out to the kitchen and ate a simple bowl of cereal. I played on my iPad for a little bit but eventually that got boring. The four of us played a few games until lunch. Soon after I finished, everyone else showed up read to go to Sea Life. It was on the other side of the island so we had to take a cab. It seemed that all the hotels were on this side of the island, and all the stuff to do was on the other.

When we got there, it was crowded. It was basically a huge outdoor aquarium with dividers and boardwalks. There were giant pools containing different kinds of marine animals. We went to the dolphin pool first, where you could pet the dolphins. That reminded me of the lagoon at the Kahala. Maybe I could swim with the dolphins there on Sunday.

"What do you want to do now?" Dad asked as we walked away from the dolphins.

I read the signs that were placed throughout the area, looking for something that was interesting. I saw a sign promoting an opportunity to swim with the sharks. Well, we were here and that was one thing on my bucket list.

"I want to swim with the sharks," I announced, walking towards the shark pool.

Dad caught my shoulder. "You want to _**what**_?" Dad asked incredulously.

"Swim with sharks, is that okay?"

"You keep astounding me more and more every day," Dad said, shaking his head.

"Will you do it with me?" I asked.

"You think I would let you do it alone?"

"No," I said. He had a good point.

We headed over to the pool. Dad got us the scuba gear and we went over to the bench to put it on. Emmett and Jasper were going to do it with us; everyone else was going to watch. I knew that Mom wanted to take pictures and there would be no way to convince her. She didn't trust anyone else's photography skills.

Once we had our gear on – Dad checked mine over about ten times – we were handed poking sticks in case the sharks got too close and were told to get in when we were ready. Emmett jumped in right away like a little kid, scaring all of the sharks to the other side of the pool. Jasper followed not long after but fell in gracefully. Dad said he would go in after I did. I was just about to get in when a fin popped up out of the water right below me. I instinctively stepped back.

"Are you sure you want to do this? You don't have to if you don't want to, Sweetie," Dad said.

I gave him a look and fell backwards like Jasper. I began to swim toward Jasper when a ten foot shark swam in front of me, not even two feet away. I instantly froze and looked back to find Dad right next to me. He gave me a smile and started to move forward. I followed him until we reached Jasper, who was simply watching the sharks. Emmett was chasing them, and they looked quite irritated. Their teeth wouldn't do anything on him, but they could take my arm off. Dad gave Emmett a slight shake of his head and Emmett sighed, letting out a stream of bubbles, and swam over to us.

We all popped up out of the water so that Mom could get a picture and went back under. This time, I actually swam toward the sharks. Dad had given me an underwater camera so that I could take pictures. The biggest shark they had was a twenty-five foot tiger shark. I got a picture of it and then found the one that had freaked me out when I had first got into the water. It was a smaller sand shark. There was also a hammerhead and a few others that I couldn't name. I spazzed out a few times because one kept bumping me, but I wasn't scared enough to get out of the water. Dad had poked it away a few times before it left me alone. Once I got used to the feeling, it was really cool. Maybe if I swam with sharks now I wouldn't be forced to in the ocean. Or maybe they wouldn't try to eat me, at least.

Dad signaled that it was time to go. We swam toward the ladder and climbed out. Dad helped me take my gear off and we returned it before going to meet up with the others.

"That was so scary!" I exclaimed.

"Well at least you got to cross something off your bucket list," Mom said.

"What time is it?" I asked as we walked to the jellyfish tank.

"Almost four-thirty. I figured that we could finish up here by six, go back to the hotel so you can shower and get ready, and then we can find a nice restaurant to go to for dinner," Mom suggested.

"Okay," I said.

We went back to the hotel at six. I showered and put on a casual outfit. I did my hair and makeup and told my parents that I was ready. The restaurant was a cool and casual outdoor one. I got a burger and fries and we sat on the balcony by the ocean. It was just Dad, Mom, Edward, and me. Everyone else was just chilling back at the hotel.

"Can I swim with the dolphins on Sunday?" I asked.

"You can swim with the dolphins whenever you want," Dad said.

"I'm surprised that you haven't done that already," Edward said.

"I was too scared to. But now that I've swam with sharks, I'm not worried anymore," I said.

It was getting late when we got back to the hotel. The four of us just sat around and talked. We made a slight change for tomorrow's plans. Since the underwater tunnel wouldn't take all day, we were going to do that and Diamond Head in the same day. I texted the plans to everyone else and they agreed to it. With that settled, I went to bed early. I would need a lot of energy for tomorrow.

The next morning came way too early. I was so tired, but everyone was ready for Diamond Head. Hiking was one of the words that came to mind when you thought of the Cullen's. After putting on a sturdy pair of jeans and hiking boots that I was sure to sweat in, we all left for the mountain. When we arrived, there were people already halfway up. We began the long hike. This was certainly not my cup of tea.

I had to admit though, the scenery was beautiful. Parts of it were jungle, others were just open grass and you could see the Pacific Ocean. After about three hours of hiking, we were at the top. It was eleven so I ate my picnic lunch. We stayed at the top for an hour before beginning our descent. It took the same amount of time to get down so we got back to the hotel around three-thirty. We rested – well, I rested – for a half hour before we went to the underwater tunnel. No one else was there, so that was kinda nice. I lead the way in and looked around as the wonders of the sea engulfed me.

I saw many different kinds of colorful fish, some jellyfish, a few stingrays, and even a shark! There were some animals clinging to the sides of the tunnel, which looked really weird. Especially when I was under them. We spent some time lying at the end of the tunnel, talking. The entire thing was clear so I could lie on the bottom and see fish swimming under me. Mom, of course, snapped a few pictures and we left and got back to the Kahala around seven. I collapsed on the couch while Mom ordered me a salad for dinner.

Everyone stuck around and visited. It was decided that only Dad and I were going snorkeling at the North Shore while the others went kayaking at some beach that they'd heard about. I was kind of excited to spend the day with Dad, and I could tell that he was too. I was definitely a Daddy's Girl.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Even though I would never tell them, I was so glad that the family wasn't coming with Ella and me to go snorkeling. I wanted alone time with my baby girl and this looked like it was going to be my only opportunity. My daughter would never be able to grasp how much I loved her, how much I cared about her. Before, my reason for living was my work and my wife. Now, I have so much more. I have a new daughter added to the rest of my beloved children. When I had adopted Ella, it was the same, wonderful feeling that I had gotten each time I adopted every one of my other children. Only this time, it was a little different. Ella was human; she needed help and protection where the others didn't. She had brought out the human in all of us.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was sore when I woke up. My back hurt, and my legs felt like they couldn't even move. I reminded myself that I was going to go swimming with Dad – two of my favorite things all rolled into one – and that encouraged me to get up. I ate a bowl of fruit before going to put on my swimsuit and my cover-up. When I got back out to the main room, Dad informed me that everyone else had already left for kayaking.

"Are you ready to go?" Dad asked, grabbing my beach bag from me.

"Yeah," I said.

Since it wasn't that far away, we decided to walk. It took about twenty minutes to walk there, but we could walk along the beach. We weren't going to have a guide or anything, but we wanted to go to the North Shore because the water there had a lot of reefs and pretty fish. It also stretched for miles so we certainly wouldn't be bored. When we got there, I flopped down onto the sand and drank some water.

"You okay, Sweetheart?" Dad asked.

"Yeah, I'm just still tired from yesterday, but I'm okay," I said.

"We have an extra day with no plans now, we could always take a break today and do it tomorrow," Dad said.

"Dad, we're already here. Give me my stuff so I can put it on," I said.

He handed me my bag with my snorkel gear in it. I laid my towel out on the sand and sat down. I began putting on the flippers and mask. After I did that, Dad checked the tightness and secured the hose to my mask. He was already in his stuff so after I put sunscreen on, we got in the water. There were only about ten other people in the area so it was quiet, almost like having the place to ourselves. I kept my face up as I followed Dad out into the water. There was no current today, so Dad said that I pretty much had free rein. Once we got to the start of the beautiful reef, Dad told me to go ahead and put my face down and explore.

When I looked down, I was amazed at what I saw. Colorful fish swam below, crabs walked across the ocean floor, and ocean plants swayed in the waves. Dad had given me his underwater camera so I snapped a few pictures of the scene. I small fish came up to my goggles and nudged it. I stayed as still as possible, trying not to scare it away. It left after a few minutes, it swam away and I continued swimming on. Dad told me that I couldn't go past the drop-off but that hadn't even come into view yet. An eel swam past, not even five feet away from me. I took that as a warning to watch my surroundings. The ocean was like a whole different, mysterious world.

As I swam forward, the bright sand suddenly disappeared. I was very close to the drop-off. I turned back, but Dad wasn't in sight. After sweeping the area, I cautiously swam forward, leaving the reef behind me. I just wanted to see the drop-off, and then I'd turn back. I swam off of the edge and into the deep. All I could see was blue. I swam out farther, without realizing it. I was starting to feel the current so I started to swim back. I wanted to see how far out I was, so I popped my head up and treaded water since I wasn't wearing a life jacket. I caught sight of Dad standing on the beach that was about three miles away. Even from here, I could see the look of displeasure on his face. I was in deep water, pun fully intended.

I started to swim back when I felt a burning sensation on my leg. It increased and turned to pain. I blacked out, and felt myself going down. I didn't have the strength to swim.

"Breathe, breathe," was the next thing I was aware of. I felt air being forced through my burning lungs, out my burning throat and nose. I opened my eyes to find that they stung too. I was looking into the concerned eyes of my father.

"Oh Ella, Baby Girl. Thank goodness you're alive," Dad said.

"It hurts Daddy, everything burns!" I cried.

"I know, Baby, I know. I'll take care of your leg in just a second. The jellyfish is still on your leg, I just had to get you breathing first," he said.

I felt something being pulled from my leg. I saw a flash of a clear substance with white spots fly through the air and land with a splash into the ocean. I saw Dad grab a kit which I assumed was for treating stings.

"At least you came prepared," I said.

He didn't say anything as he dumped vinegar on my leg and removed the nematocysts that were still on my leg. The jellyfish had gotten my shin and wrapped its tentacles around the back of my leg, leaving burning pain on everything below my knee. Dad started dabbing stuff onto my leg.

"It still hurts," I said, my voice tight in attempt not to cry.

"You shouldn't have gone past the drop-off," Dad said.

I was silent. He had absolutely no sympathy. He was just so stuck on his rules that he didn't even care that I was in pain.

"What kind of jellyfish was it?" I asked, I almost let out a whimper.

"A Box Jellyfish, also known as a Sea Wasp. Their stings are one of the worst when it comes to jellyfish. They can even be deadly, you're lucky that you're alive. You might have some scarring though. Just think of it is your punishment for not listening to me," he said coldly, a scowl on his face.

Crap, he was pissed. I should have listened to him. If I had, I wouldn't be in this mess. I couldn't stop the tear that slipped down my cheek.

"I'm sorry," I sobbed, more tears running down.

My father's look of anger changed to one of sorrow and concern. "Oh Sweetheart, you'll be okay. It was just a small one and it wasn't on you for very long so I don't think it could have killed you. I will give you cream that will reduce the scarring, if there is any. I'm sorry Honey, I didn't mean to scare you," he said sympathetically.

"Don't apologize, _I'm _the one who didn't listen to you," I sobbed.

"We'll talk about that later. Right now, we need to get this pain under control so that I can carry you back to the hotel. Let me apply some numbing cream and then you should be good to go," he said, gently rubbing it on.

I watched as he got our stuff together, put it on one shoulder, and then walked back over to get me. He gently scooped me up and started the walk back to the hotel. I cried the whole way there.

"I-I'm sorry," I sobbed as we walked along the deserted beach.

"Hush now, I'm not mad," he said.

"I didn't listen to you!" I cried burying my face in his shoulder.

"We'll talk about it very soon. Let's just get back to the hotel and get you settled in so we can talk. Everyone else won't be back for a while yet so we've got time. We'll sort this all out, don't worry," he comforted.

It still didn't help. I felt horrible and I knew that I was going to get yelled at. On top of that, my leg, lungs, throat, nose, and eyes were on fire. This day couldn't get any worse. Actually, maybe it could.

We got back to the hotel, and Dad put me in bed. I didn't get any blankets, but that was okay. I laid my head back against the propped-up pillow and cried.

"Do you want some Tylenol?" Dad asked.

I nodded, tears running down my face.

"I'll be right back."

I took the medicine and the pain went away a little. It was bearable, and kept me from crying. However, the crying started up again because of the trouble I was in. Dad came in and sat on the side of the bed, facing me. I looked into his eyes, which were expressionless as always when I was in trouble. After a few minutes of uncomfortable silence, he began the lecture.

"Before I make any judgments, tell me what made you decide to disobey me," he said.

I took a minute to order my thoughts. Sighing, I began my explanation.

"I wanted to see what the drop-off looked like, so I was originally going to just go to the edge. But then I wanted a better look, so I swam out farther. I'd gone out more than I'd realized and felt the current. I swam back a few feet and pulled my head out of the water to see how far away I was. I saw you on the beach, looking out at me and started to hightail it back to the shore when I felt a burning sensation on my leg. It turned to pain, which became unbearable and then I blacked out, going down because I was too weak to swim. The next thing I was aware of was you telling me to breathe on the beach," I said.

"So you saw me standing there, and knew that you were in trouble?" Dad asked.

"Yes," I said, not sure where he was going with this.

"Did you think about my rules before you went out into the drop-off?" Dad asked.

"Yes," I answered, still not sure where he was going with this.

"So you went out into the drop-off knowing full well that you would be in trouble. You brushed that off and defied me. You ended up getting hurt because of your disobedience, is that a correct summary?" Dad asked.

I put my head down. "Yes."

"Is there anything you want to say before I state my conclusion?" he asked.

"I'm sorry and please don't hurt me. I've learned my lesson!" I sobbed.

"Never," he said comfortingly before returning to his stern voice. "You will not be punished for this particular mistake. Let this be a warning and a message to obey all of my rules. If you don't, you end up getting hurt. You've learned that the hard way which I believe is punishment enough. I also order that you rest until this is healed, which will probably be by Monday. Until then, you are to stay here until I say that you are well enough to go do activities, do you understand?"

I nodded.

"Verbal answer please."

"Yes," I said meekly.

"Good, now get some sleep. Just holler if you need anything," Dad said, getting up to leave.

"I love you Daddy," I said.

"I love you too, Sugar Plum Princess."

I relaxed as my body throbbed. Even though I wanted it to be, I knew this wouldn't be the last time I disobeyed my father. However, this particular lesson was learned.

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**A/N: I hope you liked the chapter! There'a only one possibly two chapters left of Hawaii so enjoy it while it lasts! Please review and vote on my poll. Thanks for reading!**


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: Over four thousand views, absolutely amazing! Thank you to all those who have reviewed, favorited, or followed this story. It was even added to a community. All this gets me excited to write, so keep it up! Please enjoy Chapter 21!**

**Disclaimer: I am not a professional author and I am not a part of the Guns N' Roses music group. **

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**CHAPTER 21:**

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Even though she had disobeyed me, I still felt sorry for my daughter. How could I not? This was her birthday vacation and there she was, stuck in bed injured. Of course, being the father I am, I tried to find ways that showed that this was my fault. If only I had stayed by her. If only I had warned her about the dangerous creatures in the ocean.

It was seven o'clock but the family still wasn't back yet. They probably thought that I was enjoying alone time with Ella, so wanted to give us some space. Little did they know that Ella was fast asleep and I was stuck in the living room, suffering in loneliness.

I was pulled from my thoughts when I heard a pained cry. I jumped up off the couch and ran at vampire speed to Ella's room. I threw the door open and immediately went to her side.

"Daddy!" she cried.

"I'm here, Baby. What's wrong?" I asked, removing the blankets I had told her she couldn't use from her leg.

"It hurts," she whimpered.

"Oh, Baby I know. It takes time to heal and will sting until it does. Do you want some more pain reliever cream?" I asked, trying to come up with ways to soothe her pain.

"Yes please. And scar-reducer too," she cried.

I grabbed both tubes and carefully spread the scar-reducer on. I waited till it was dry to put the numbing cream on. She relaxed a little and took a sip of her water.

"I don't think I can sleep anymore," she said.

"Would you like me to sit with you?" I asked.

"Yeah."

I sat down on the edge of the bed, turning to that I was facing her. I spent a few minutes studying her sweet face for signs of pain or discomfort. Finding none, I began a somewhat pointless conversation.

"You are not in trouble, I'm just merely curious as to why you covered your injury with a blanket when I told you not to," I said.

"I'm just more comfortable with a blanket on," she said.

I decided to indulge her. I pulled the comforter from the bed and covered her with it except her right leg. She looked up at me and smiled. I gave her a warm smile back and patted her hand. She patted the bed next to her, ordering me to sit next to her instead of in front of her. I complied, moving delicately as not to jostle her. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her head into my shoulder. I started combing through her hair with my fingers. She gave a content sigh and closed her eyes halfway. Almost involuntarily, I began to sing her a song.

"**She's got a smile it seems to me****  
****Reminds me of childhood memories****  
****Where everything****  
****Was as fresh as the bright blue sky****  
****Now and then when I see her face****  
****She takes me away to that special place****  
****And if I'd stare too long****  
****I'd probably break down and cry ****Oh, oh, oh****  
****Sweet child o' mine****  
****Oh, oh, oh, oh****  
****Sweet love of mine****She's got eyes of the bluest skies****  
****As if they thought of rain****  
****I hate to look into those eyes****  
****And see an ounce of pain****  
****Her hair reminds me of a warm safe place****  
****Where as a child I'd hide****  
****And pray for the thunder****  
****And the rain****  
****To quietly pass me by ****Oh, oh, oh****  
****Sweet child o' mine****  
****Oh, oh, oh, oh****  
****Sweet love of mine ****Oh, oh, oh, oh****  
****Sweet child o' mine****  
****Oh, oh, oh, oh****  
****Sweet love of mine ****Oh, oh, oh, oh****  
****Sweet child o' mine****  
****Oh,****  
****Sweet love of mine ****Where do we go?****  
****Where do we go now?****  
****Where do we go?****  
****Oh, oh****  
****Where do we go?****  
****Oh,****  
****Where do we go now?****  
****Where do we go?****  
****Oh, (sweet child)****  
****Where do we go now?****  
****Oh,****  
****Where do we go now?****  
****Oh,****  
****Where do we go?****  
****Oh,****  
****Where do we go now?****  
****Oh,****  
****Where do we go?****  
****Where do we go now?****  
****Where do we go?****  
****Oh,****  
****Where do we go now?****  
****No, no, no, no, no, no****  
****Sweet child,****  
****Sweet child of mine."**

When the song ended, Ella gazed up at me in wonder. I just smiled down at her and stroked her hair again. She allowed me to envelope her in my comfort and accepted all the love I sent her. I pulled her into my lap and hugged her tightly, nuzzling the back of her ear with my nose. She giggled and twisted around to look at me. I carefully turned her so that her legs were hanging off the edge of the bed.

"Where did you hear that song?" Ella asked.

"The housekeeper who used to take care of me when I was young back in London. She had taken care of me since I was born because my mother had died giving birth to me and my father wasn't fit to care for me on his own. She sang this to me when I was upset as a baby and after my father had yelled or taken a whip to me as I got older," I told her.

She looked up, a million questions in her eyes. "Tell me about your human life," she demanded.

"Maybe when you're older, Honey. My father wasn't the kindest man in the London," I said.

"I already know about a few things your father did and I'm not asking for really detailed descriptions. I also have been through a lot worse stuff than what your father ever did to you," she said.

She had a point. I just didn't want to traumatize her by telling her what my father had done not only to me, but to other people as well. Then I realized that it was probably nearly impossible to traumatize Ella. She had seen it all.

"All right, I guess I can't argue with that. I guess I'll just start from the very beginning of my life story. It's quite a long and dreadful story, are you sure you want to hear it?" I asked, making sure. I wasn't sure she knew what she was in for. I had three hundred and sixty-nine years' worth to tell her about.

She nodded. "I haven't got anything better to do with my time."

"Very well. As you know, my father was an Anglican pastor and was married to my mother before she died. He was still very sadistic when she was alive, but not as much so as after. When I was born and my mother died, my father was like a moon with no planet to revolve around. He hated me for about the first two years of my life until he realized that I could be useful to him when I got older. He began to rely less on the housekeeper – though he still kept her around – and cared for me as much as he could himself. He started keeping me by his side as he did simple little tasks, and eventually began to feed and play with me. As time went on, I grew closer and closer to my father. At times, I wouldn't be seen anywhere during the day except for with him. I still remember being a three-year-old boy, being in my father's arms as he preached on the altar. He was hoping to teach me the ways of God early so that he wouldn't have to do so much of that later on. His tactics worked, and I understood much better than most children my age. When I was eight years old, he started giving me tasks and made me really start living the way of God. When I didn't follow his instructions, he spanked me. That eventually turned to using a belt or even a switch on me. As soon as I turned eighteen, my father put me in charge of all of the raids for witches, werewolves, and vampires, for he was getting too old. I was not as quick to accuse as my father and people appreciated my respect for life. When I was twenty-six, I came across an actual coven of vampires. I got my men together, and we set out to kill them. Of course, the vampires were a lot stronger than us and attacked and killed. One bit me, but then left me alone to go help his mate, leaving me bleeding in the street. I crawled into a deserted cellar and stayed there through my transformation. When it was complete, I tried to kill myself. I didn't want to be a monster. After realizing that killing myself was impossible, I got my act together and began studying all sorts of things. That was when I found my calling: medicine. I fed from the blood of animals to attempt to be around wounded humans. I have never killed a human for its blood. While I was practicing control, I studied at several universities to learn as much as I could about medicine."

I paused for a moment. "Any questions so far?"

"No," Ella answered. She seemed truly intrigued by the story.

I continued.

"I was studying in Italy when I came across the Volturi. I liked the idea of peace and some sort of order in the vampire world, so I joined them. I didn't stay with them for long though, only a few decades. They had tried to convert me to my "natural food source" as they called it. They even put a bleeding human right in front of my nose. It was then that I knew I would be able to control myself, thus becoming the great surgeon I am today. I traveled to the United States in search of work. Over time, I found that I was lonely. I hadn't come across one of my kind in a very long time and I couldn't associate with humans other than to treat their medical needs. I moved to a new hospital in Chicago, where I met Edward. I changed him and as we moved to different hospitals around the country, I met all of your family members and changed them too. Jasper and Alice later came into our lives and eventually you did too, completing our family and making it the perfect one it is now. The end," I said, giving her a smile.

"I have some questions," she said.

"Go ahead."

"What are everyone else's stories?" she asked.

"They are not mine to share. You can ask them to tell you, but you must not pry," I told her.

"Okay, fine. I have another question. Are the Volturi good or bad?" she asked.

"It depends on how you look at it. They police our world to make sure no laws have been broken to protect us from humans and they are known to ally certain groups when fighting once in a while, but they can also be very dangerous to everyone. One mistake and you're dead," I said.

"So when they find out about me they will kill our entire family?" she asked, a worried look in her eyes.

What was I supposed to tell her? If they had known, you would have been dead already? No, I didn't think so. I decided to go around the topic as easily and smoothly as possible.

"They haven't found out yet, and I will do everything in my power to keep it that way. If, God forbid, they do find out, you won't be killed nor will any of us. Aro is very considerate toward his acquaintances and wouldn't harm any of us unless we did something extremely inexcusable. If the time ever comes, we will be able to convince him that you are no danger to the secret. You are smart enough not to tell anyone," I said.

"So I have absolutely nothing to worry about?" she asked for clarification.

"None," I said strongly.

"Thanks, I feel better now with that not hanging over my head," she said.

"Good. Do you need anything or do you think you can get some sleep?" I asked.

"I think I'll try to sleep. I'm pretty tired and I won't feel the pain in my sleep. Thanks for everything, Dad," she said gratefully.

I bent over to gently give her a hug. I tucked her under the blankets and kissed her forehead.

"Goodnight, Baby Girl."

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

By Sunday, I was feeling well enough to walk around. Us girls decided that today was the day for shopping. After reassuring Dad about a hundred times that my leg felt fine, we set out into the busy streets. Shopping wasn't going to be an all-day thing; we planned to be back by three. The first place we went to was a jewelry store, where I bought a bunch of seashell earrings and necklaces. Then we went to a souvenir shop, where I got a lot of cool things for Jessica, Lauren, and Amanda. After a quick lunch at one of the nearby coffee shops, we went to our last store: the Hawaiian Beauty Shop.

It smelled wonderful. It was an enclosed, spacious bungalow made out of bamboo walls and polished wood floor. They had all sorts of handmade soaps, lotions, and shampoos. Each item was made from the plants in Hawaii. We spent a few hours in there, and then returned to the hotel around three, me with an aching leg.

"Welcome back," Dad greeted Mom and me. "What did you find?"

I knew that he was really asking, "How much of my money did you spend?" Being the shopaholic I am, I got pretty good at reading in-between the lines.

I winked at him. "Well if you're really that curious, I got this shampoo at the . . ." I trailed off, smirking.

"All right, Smartass, how much did you spend?" Dad asked.

"It doesn't matter. Ella's happy, and so am I, and that's all that matters," Mom said firmly.

Dad sighed and threw his hands up in defeat. He went over to the couch where Edward was sitting and sat down next to him.

"Remind me why we decided to share a suite with two women," Dad said.

"Because you were an idiot saying how nice it would be to be with the family for eleven days plus a day of travel back home. Also you love your wife too much to be apart from her," Edward said, not one bit sarcastic.

"That is true," Dad said.

I rolled my eyes and wandered into my bedroom. I flopped down onto the bed and turned the TV on, giving my leg some time to rest. Dad would not be happy, but I think I might have worked it a little too much today.

Around six, Dad came into my room.

"Are you okay Sweetheart?" he asked, sitting in the usual spot on the edge of my bed.

"I'm fine, my leg just hurts a little," I said. Actually it hurt a lot, but he didn't need to know that.

"Do you mind if I take a look?" Dad asked and began pulling away the covers.

"Yes," I said, pulling my leg away.

He gave me a look saying that I didn't really have a choice. I sighed and allowed him to pull the blanket off.

"That's a good girl," Dad encouraged.

He gently touched it, and then pushed harder. He pushed so hard that I had to pull away. He pinned my leg to the bed with his hand and prodded again.

"Ow! Dad that hurts!" I cried.

"I'm sorry, Honey. I just need to know the extent of the damage. Give me just two more minutes to examine it and then I'll make it better," he said.

"No! Stop! It hurts too badly!" I begged, tears running down my face. He just ignored me and continued pressing down on it.

"I thought this was supposed to be a fun vacation!" I sobbed.

This made him stop.

"Haven't you been having fun?" he asked.

"Well . . . yeah, sort of. It was good at first, but then I got hurt and now it just sucks!" I cried.

"Baby Girl, I'm sorry you got hurt. I know that it's not any fun, but you'll feel better soon. This vacation isn't over yet, keep faith," he said, stroking my hair.

"But I only have two more days!" I cried.

"Honey, you'll get those two days. Tell you what, if you let me take care of your leg, I promise that you will feel well enough to go swimming with the dolphins tomorrow," he said.

"Fine, just make the pain go away," I begged.

"I will."

The next day, I was feeling perfect. I don't know what Dad did, but it worked. I could walk without a limp and touch it without pain. After breakfast, Dad, Mom, and I went to the lagoon to swim with the dolphins.

It was just like a saltwater pond. It was big, but not big enough to be considered a lake. Lagoon was the only way to describe it. The area was surrounded with palm trees – much like everything else in Hawaii – and bright, exotic flowers dotted the ground around them.

We got into the lagoon, but I didn't see any dolphins. Not even a fin or a ripple in the water. All of the sudden, a dolphin popped up into my face and made a laughing sound before diving back under.

"Holy shit!" I shouted.

Dad and Mom laughed their heads off while I tried to bring my heartbeat down to a normal level.

"They've been trained to do that," Dad said, followed by a chuckle. Mom was too amused to speak.

"I'm scared now," I said.

"Don't be, dolphins are very gentle and playful creatures," Dad said with a smile.

"How many are there?" I asked.

"Five. Three are males and two are females," Dad informed me.

I gathered the courage to swim out into the middle of the lagoon. Soon I was surrounded by five giggling dolphins. One ducked under and bumped at my feet with its nose, making me freak out. Another one gently grabbed onto my hand with its teeth and tried to pull me with it.

"They want you to play with them!" Mom said.

I decided to play a little trick of my own. I grabbed onto one's side fin and began to swim with it. It pulled me along, which was really fun. The biggest one even let me get on its back! That was a wild ride; it ducked under the water and whipped all around the lagoon. I started splashing at one and it splashed back, making a total wave go over my head. I could hardly swim away to breathe.

"Never challenge a dolphin to a splashing contest, it will win!" I told my parents. They laughed and dived into the water with the dolphins. We all played together, which was so much fun. We swam with the dolphins until dinner. I went to bed that night feeling a lot better than the night before.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Tomorrow would be our last day of vacation. We wouldn't be able to do anything Wednesday since we had to be to the airport by noon. Our flight was at two and we would be to Seattle by eight in the West Coast time. We would get to the house at about nine which would be enough time to give Ella a quick snack and then send her to bed. I hated having to make these plans, Ella loved Hawaii. I would have to promise to take her back someday.

As I went over every single event of the vacation, I concluded that it was pretty good. Sure, we had some rough spots but those were easily overcome. I realized that with a human in the house, there were never any patterns. With only vampires, there's only so much to do in a lifetime and we've almost done it all. Every day was just the same, now, you never know what will happen. Ella's changed our lives so much and I wouldn't ever want it any other way.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up feeling recharged and ready to rage. I knew exactly what I wanted to do today, and I couldn't wait to do it. Everyone was going to participate whether they wanted to or not. I wasn't asking for very much, just some family time. I wanted to end the vacation the way it started.

After getting into my pink bikini, I ran out into the living room to find everyone already there in their bathing suits. Thank you Alice! I grabbed my towel off the chair it was drying on and headed toward the beachfront door.

"You all already know what we're going to do, so get off your butts!" I ordered.

We all ran out onto the beach. It was perfect, with no one else there. I plunged into the water, fearless now. My siblings and I all played in the water obnoxiously while Dad and Mom just sat on the beach, watching us. Emmett was showing off by swimming in place – I didn't even know that was possible, even for a vampire – and I was getting really irritated. I swam under him and tugged on his shorts. Not hard enough to pull them down, but enough to make him freak out. Everyone laughed their heads off while Emmett gave me a murderous glare. Okay, not really, but you get what I mean. He tackled me and then we had a splash fight. When that was over, Emmett whispered something to Edward and they leaped out of the water and ran up to Dad and Mom. Edward swept Mom off of her towel and carried her bridal style to the water while Emmett hugged Dad's legs to pick him up and carry him to the water. They threw them into the water so they landed with a splash. I guess that was how you get the Cullen parents to participate in your obnoxious activities. We played until sundown, and after a glorious dinner out, I fell asleep happier than I had been in a long time.

Wednesday morning came much too soon. Mom was helping me get all of my stuff together so that we could head for the airport. I moved sluggishly, taking as long as possible. I got slower and slower and eventually refused to do what I was told until Dad told me to shape up or I wouldn't be allowed to have a sleepover with The Clique that weekend. I instantly moved faster than I needed to and we got to the airport at noon. After going through security – at which I behaved this time – we went and sat in the gate. The plane came shortly after and we boarded. We had first-class seats again and I chose to sit with Dad. I just felt safe with him. This plane ride was better than the last one, there were less bumps and I knew what to expect. We landed in Seattle and shoved all of our things into the two cars. The drive home didn't take as long as it seemed to get there, and we were unloading before I knew it. I quickly unpacked then flopped into bed, totally exhausted.

The only thing in my life I looked forward to now was getting Angel back tomorrow and having my friends over for a sleepover. Like Dad said, all good things have to come to an end.

Or did they?

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**A/N: Goodbye Hawaii! Hello Seattle! Things will be returning to normal now, or should I say "normal for the Cullen's" right? I hope you like the chapter and please review, favorite, and follow! Also please vote on my poll. It will be up for a while yet but right now four people have voted on two different answers making it even, which will not work. I'll update as soon as I can!**


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: In this chapter, six new characters get introduced, just to give you a heads up. I will have another chapter up by Sunday so please stick with me. I present, Chapter 22! There are some Spanish phrases so I will give you the translations. **

**Hola = Hello**

**Bebé = Baby **

**Hola Bebé = Hello Baby **

**Disclaimer: Let's face it, no one on FanFiction is Stephanie Meyer. Well, unless she signed on here. That would be amazing. **

* * *

**CHAPTER 22:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up at ten-thirty the next morning feeling very sad. I wasn't in Hawaii anymore, I wouldn't be able to go swim in the ocean, and I wouldn't be able to see palm trees. It just sucked. I felt something wet on my face and realized that I was crying. Now that I started, I couldn't stop. I sobbed my heart out, until Dad came worriedly into my room.

"What's wrong, Baby Girl?" he asked, coming over and sitting at my side.

"Harsh reality," I sobbed.

"What do you mean?" he asked, pulling his fingers through my hair.

"I wanna go back to Hawaii!" I cried.

"Oh Sweetie, we will go back someday. I didn't want to leave either, but sometimes we have to. All good things must come to an end," he said.

"I'm sick of that stupid saying!" I cried angrily.

"Ella, calm down. I just got back from picking up Angel, do you want to see her?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, throwing off the covers.

I went downstairs in my pajamas to find my dog the wildest I've ever seen her. She jumped at my legs until I picked her up. She seemed happy, so I assumed that Jessica had taken good care of her. I cuddled with her on the couch for a while before going upstairs to get dressed. I could tell that today was most likely going to be a boring day. I went back downstairs and sat on the couch, staring off into space. I had nothing better to do with my time.

"Ella, I hate seeing you so unhappy. I don't have to work today, so why don't we go out and do something fun?" Dad suggested.

"I don't feel like doing anything but moping," I grumbled.

"Well I won't stand for that. You are going to be the bright-eyed and bushytailed Ella that I know and love. Now what do you want to do?" Dad asked.

"I already told you, I don't want to do anything!" I yelled, frustrated. Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

"Ella, do not raise your voice at me again. You are getting out of the house because you need to, whether you want to or not. Now I asked again, what do you want to do?" he asked.

I thought about it. I knew I didn't have a chance at shopping – that was what he considered a girls thing – and I doubt he'd bring me back to Hawaii. But that got me thinking; couldn't we go to La Push beach? Lauren had told me about it a while back, but I had never been there.

"Can we go to La Push beach?" I asked.

He smiled sadly. "I'm afraid not."

"Why?"

"I cannot explain, dear child. Is there anything else you want to do?"

"How about any place along the coast?" I asked.

"The entire coast of Washington is an Indian reservation. We are not allowed to go there," Dad said.

"But Lauren went there before, other people are allowed," I said, confused. Did Dad have something against Native Americans?

"Not us, Honey. Maybe you can go there with your friend's family sometime," he said.

"Vampire thing?" I asked.

"Yes, sort of, but I cannot explain. What else do you want to do?"

"I don't really know," I said. I knew that there was plenty to do in Seattle, but I didn't really feel like exploring the city today.

"How about we go on a daytrip to Alaska? I have some friends there that we consider cousins who have yet to find out about you," he said.

"Are they vampires?" I asked.

"Yes, but they drink animal blood like us. You'll love them once you meet them," he said.

"I guess we can go," I said hesitantly. I've never met other vampires before. Well I have, but not willingly.

"All right, let me just tell your mother and then we'll go. We're not taking a car, so make sure you bring a purse that you can sling across your body," he said.

"Okay."

I went upstairs to my room and found the perfect purse. I put a few things in it and lengthened the straps. I slung it across my body and went to the front door to find both Dad and Mom waiting there.

"Have fun," Mom said as we walked out.

Dad situated me on his back before walking into the forest, preparing to run.

"How long will it take to get there?" I asked.

"About two hours. They live in Denali," he said.

"Two hours?" I squeaked. I was going to be seriously sick by the end of it.

"Yes, but I can take a route through the mountains to make it more interesting," he said.

"Please do," I said. "I've always wanted to see the mountains."

Dad started running. By some miracle, I wasn't motion sick – yet. Dad said that the almost the whole journey would be in the mountains. There was a small part between the two mountain ranges. The air was so thin and pure up high. It had a sweet taste to it, almost like pure sugar. Dad said that the air was less polluted up here. I actually didn't mind the two hour run; I didn't get sick through any of it. Dad had to walk now, because there were mountain climbers in the area and we couldn't risk being seen, but it was nice to be able to actually see everything. It was blurred when he ran. Dad said there was only a half hour left.

His friends lived in the mountains. As we got closer, a log house with lots of windows came into view. It was big, but not big enough to be considered a mansion. It was set in a flat area with the mountain behind it. It was like a ledge. If you walked to the side, you would see the sharp rock of the side of the mountain below. The view was incredible, to say the least.

"How many of them are there?" I asked.

"Five. Tanya, Kate, Irina, Carmen, and Eleazar," Dad answered.

"And they're all related?" I asked.

"No, just Tanya, Kate, and Irina are. Carmen and Eleazar are a separate couple," Dad said.

"Who's the leader?" I asked.

"Tanya," he answered. "Ready to make our presence known?"

"I guess," I said. I was kind of nervous.

Dad walked in front of one of the windows. They were too dark for me to see through, but I bet he could.

Five people came running out of the house. Three had blonde hair and pale skin; the other two had black hair with darker features, clearly Hispanic.

"Carlisle! It's been so long, too long! How have you –" she stopped abruptly. All five of them were looking at me in a way that made me uncomfortable.

"Who is this?" she asked solemnly, motioning to me with her head.

"Cousins, this is my newest daughter, Ella," Dad said, moving so that I was in full view and gesturing to me.

"Does she –?" the woman started, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes," Dad said.

"Do I what?" I asked.

Everyone looked toward me like I had appeared out of nowhere.

I wanted to hide behind Dad again.

"Hello, Child," a soft voice said, almost a whisper. It came from the dark-haired woman.

"Hi," I replied meekly.

The woman and her mate, Eleazar, walked toward us until they were only eight feet away. The man walked forward until he was about two feet away before slipping down onto his knees, taking my hands. He looked into my eyes and smiled.

"Hola Bebé," the man said, kissing my hand. "I am Eleazar."

"Hi Eleazar," I said.

His mate walked over to us. "I am Carmen."

Eleazar stood and picked me up. Carmen came to my other side and rested her hand on my back. I felt safe with them, they accepted me. I wasn't so sure about the other three.

"I know that there is much to be explained and it all will be, if you give us the chance. Yes, Ella does know our secret, but she is no danger to it. She has sworn on her life to never tell another soul. Please, accept her as much a part of your family as I," Dad said.

"Of course we will give you the chance to explain. Please, come inside, it's not exactly warm out here," Tanya, a blonde with curled hair said.

Alaska was a lot colder than Washington, even for it being summer. Eleazar carried me up the stairs into the house, which was decorated like a log cabin should be. Dad took a seat on a big chair in the living room. Eleazar set me on my feet so I could sit where I wanted to. I went over to Dad and climbed onto his lap. He told them how he had found me and what happened to me, after getting my permission. The sympathetic looks were to be expected, but I didn't like them. Much worse had happened to other people, I shouldn't receive sympathy.

"So the Volturi do not know about her?" Tanya asked.

"No. I plan to keep it that way for as long as possible," Dad said.

Someone always had to bring up the Volturi.

"The Volturi will find out eventually. It is impossible to keep anything from them. However they will not kill anyone for the crime. Aro values his acquaintances greatly, and would never kill them unless a danger has come from the crime. Ella is obviously not a danger to the secret and would never tell anybody. She knows the consequences and loves her family too much for that to happen. You have nothing to worry about," Eleazar said, looking at me on the last line.

"How do you know that?" I asked him.

"Because, Bebé, I used to be one of them," he said.

"You were?" I asked.

"Yes, for quite a long time as well. I learned many things about them which have proven useful time and time again. Don't worry though, I do not have the sadistic ways of the other Guard," he said.

It took a minute for this to sink in. Dad had described the Volturi to me in his view, as sadistic and vile beings. He said that they did more damage than problem solving. I knew that he hadn't turned sadistic during his time with them, but did Eleazar? He claimed that he didn't, but had he? I didn't know what to think, he was just so gentle that it was hard to even imagine him as one of the Volturi.

"I hate to end our visit, but Ella and I must go. We have a long journey to home and we have plans for tomorrow," Dad said, standing up.

"Well darn, promise to come back though. We haven't had time to tell dear Ella our story," Tanya said with a kind smile at me.

"Of course. Perhaps towards the end of the summer, all of us will be able to meet," Dad said.

"That would be wonderful. Goodbye," Tanya said.

"Wait," said an unfamiliar voice.

I looked up to see Kate walking over to me.

"Welcome to the family Ella," she said.

"Thanks," I said with a small smile.

With that, Dad walked out the door. I didn't miss the icy glare that Irina threw at me, though I had no idea why.

Dad started the trek back home. It was busier now, so he couldn't run. As we walked, he started up a conversation.

"I think that went well," he said.

"Yeah," I said quietly.

"Something troubling you?" he asked.

"Irina doesn't like me," I said.

"You don't know if she does or not," Dad said.

"She never said it, but it's kinda obvious. For one she didn't even speak to me, and two she gave me a mean glare as we were leaving," I said.

"Honey, she hasn't gotten the time to get to know you. She will learn to love you. Until then, you have everyone else wrapped around your finger," he smiled down at me.

"I really like Eleazar and Carmen," I said.

"They are very nice people," Dad agreed.

Dad was finally able to run shortly after that. We were back home by dinnertime. I ate in the living room and told everyone else about meeting the Denali's.

"I'm glad you had a good time," Mom said.

We sat in comfortable silence before Edward spoke up.

"I have a question," he announced.

Everyone turned their attention to him.

"I was wondering if it would be okay if I brought Bella over on Sunday," he said.

"Of course, we will all be here," Mom said immediately.

"Okay. You really think that it's a good idea for me to get involved with her?" he asked.

"Edward, you've been single your entire life. Man, it's time you get a girlfriend," Emmett said.

"I was starting to think you were gay or something," I said.

Everyone burst into laughter, except Edward, who glared.

"You better not say that in front of Bella. I will kill you if you do," he threatened.

"What were we supposed to think Edward?" Jasper chuckled.

"I hate you all," Edward grumbled.

I went upstairs to get ready for bed. Tomorrow I would be having a sleepover with my friends! I was so excited. I was glad that I had gained more family members today.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I sat in my study waiting for seven-thirty to come so I could leave for work. I had been away for much too long and I yearned to be caring for the sick and injured once again. I liked being needed. Today had been wonderful. I had been able to see my extended family and introduce Ella to them. They were more people that she could trust, that I could trust if something were to ever happen to me.

Seven-thirty came and I got into my Mercedes and left for work. I was greeted by my eager colleagues, who bombarded me with questions about my trip. After getting settled in my office, I went up to Pediatrics because they were getting pretty busy there. Some sort a fever was taking a hit. It wasn't deadly, but it made staying hydrated complicated. I stopped outside the door of my first patient, listening to the conversation that was going on inside.

"How many times have I told you not to let this happen again?!" an angry male voice said.

"I can't control it!" a child cried.

"Well you will be doing chores until this hospital bill is paid," said a woman's voice disapprovingly.

"And expect to be getting your ass paddled for it too," the male voice said.

I decided it was time to go in. I didn't want to hear anymore and I doubt the child did either. I opened the door to find a little girl sitting on the bed crying.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Cullen and I will be taking care of you during your stay," I said with a smile.

The child's crying picked up when I came in, a natural reaction.

"Don't cry Sweetie, everything will be all right," I said comfortingly.

"No it won't!" she cried.

"Oh yes it will. Can you tell me what's wrong?" I asked. I could have just looked at the chart but I preferred to get an answer from the child. Her parents didn't seem to be the most honest and loving people.

"I fainted for some reason that I don't know. I hit my head and now Father and Mother are mad because they have to pay for me to be here and –" she was cut off by her angry father.

"Shut up Katie! You know that's not true," he said sounding more furious than before.

"I'm going have to ask you to go into the waiting room. I will not stand to have that in my patient's room," I said, giving him a stern look.

"She's my daughter," the man said stubbornly.

"Then treat her like she is. Now leave or do I need to call security?" I asked threateningly.

They both left immediately. I turned back to the child that was now traumatized. I gave her a smile and sat down on the stool next to her bed.

"It's all right Angel, you can talk to me now. Your parents aren't here to intercede," I said comfortingly.

She just sat there sobbing. She wouldn't accept any of the comfort I offered her. I tried smiling, holding her hand, and even hugging her. Nothing worked. She reminded me so much of Ella right now that it hurt. All I wanted to do was go home and wrap Ella up in my arms and know that she was safe. She was probably still sleeping though.

"Honey, has this fainting spell happened before?" I asked kindly.

She nodded. That opened her up and she told me about her family life and how her parents abused her. Tears were involved, of course, and I couldn't wipe them away fast enough. They cascaded down her face like rivers. After I got the whole story, I promised her that I would take care of everything and she wouldn't be abused anymore. I hated cases like these, they broke my heart.

Today was not off to a very good start, but I was determined to be optimistic.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up and put on a crazy outfit. I cleaned my room until it was spotless before going downstairs to find Mom. We were going to go shopping for junk food for the sleepover. After eating a quick bowl of cereal, I went to her bedroom to find her sitting at her desk with a pen and piece of paper.

We went to the store and got popcorn, Trollies, Jolly Ranchers, Twisters, and peanuts. Mom helped me push the furniture out of the way to make room for our sleeping bags. She got my pink one down from my closet and set it on the bed. It was one o'clock now and my friends were supposed to arrive any minute. I stood by the front door and waited.

Jessica was the first to arrive, followed by Lauren and Amanda. They were neighbors, so they rode together. We put all of their stuff in my room and sat in a circle and talked. I gave them their souvenirs from Hawaii and told them all about it. Mom came up and got us when supper was done. We all ran downstairs to find that she had made pizza, which Dad was pulling out of the oven. After we ate, we changed into pajamas and did nails. We turned on a movie, Pitch Perfect, and fell asleep soon after it ended. We had stayed up till two in the morning and were exhausted.

Mom made us French toast in the morning. All of my friends left by noon, which left me bored as heck. The day consisted of cleaning up from the sleepover, nothing exciting.

**EDWARD'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I waited anxiously outside Bella's house for her to answer the door. Today was the day she would finally meet my family. I could tell she was nervous, but she wouldn't admit it. I couldn't blame her though. I would be scared of my family too.

"Hey Edward," she said, opening the door.

"Good morning Love," I greeted her.

We got into my car and drove toward the outskirts of town. Her thoughts were all curious about my family and home. This was going to be interesting, that was for sure.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Dad and Mom had rounded all of us up to meet Bella. I liked her; she seemed perfect for my brother. The introduction was short, and then we were all told to give them some space and alone time. She left later that afternoon and I decided that it was high time I finished my plan to make Dad go insane. I would do all three in the next twenty-four hours. The last one would have to wait till tomorrow when Dad was at work, but then the plan would be complete. I was going to tell him about it after I finished, and I couldn't wait to see his reaction.

I went out into the woods a found a deer corpse. I dragged it to the house and Emmett helped me get it on the dining room table. I walked away and hid in a corner to watch Mom's reaction. And Dad's, for that matter.

Mom walked into the dining room humming away when she suddenly gasped.

**"CARLISLE!" **she shrieked.

Dad came running into the room. "What is it?!"

**"WHAT IS THIS DOING ON MY TABLE?!" **she screamed.

"I have no idea," Dad said.

That was my cue.

"Dad came home with this saying he just wanted to bring his meal home," I said innocently.

Fire started in Mom's eyes.

**"HOW DARE YOU?! GET THIS DISGUSTING CORPSE OFF MY TABLE! AND OUR POOR DAUGHTER! YOU'VE PRACTICALLY CORRUPTED HER!" **she yelled. Dad bowed his head in shame.

I resisted the urge to laugh. Dad felt so guilty even though he hadn't done anything.

I decided to strike again when he was watching TV. I crept quietly behind the couch and silently counted to ten.

**"TURTLE!" **I screamed.

Dad leaped off the couch and ten feet into the air. I started laughing hysterically.

"What was that about?!" Dad asked angrily.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 . . .

**"TURTLE!" **I screamed again.

"That's enough Ella," Dad said.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 . . .

**"TURTLE!"**

** "I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" **he yelled.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 . . .

**"TURTLE!"**

Dad sighed and sat back down. He ignored me as I kept screaming. That lasted for three hours.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 . . .

**"TURTLE!"**

** "ELLA DIXIE CULLEN! I SAID THAT WAS ENOUGH THREE HOURS AGO! IF YOU'RE TRYING TO GET MY ATTENTION, NOW YOU HAVE IT! WHAT IN GOD'S NAME DO YOU WANT?!" **Dad screamed.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 . . .

**"TURTLE!" **

Dad threw his arms into the air and ran around the room screaming. I couldn't understand a word he was saying but it was as funny as Hell. I decided that the mission was complete and went upstairs to go to bed. I lay in bed with that evil grin on my face.

I couldn't wait till tomorrow.

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**A/N: I hope you liked the chapter. Please review, they make chapters come faster. Reviews are very encouraging and give me an itch to write. Also, please vote on my poll. Thanks for reading! :) **


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: As promised, here is Chapter 23. It is a bit shorter, and I will explain why at the end. Regardless, please enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Why do we even need these? I'm obviously not Stephanie Meyer!**

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**CHAPTER 23:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was up early the next morning. My phone said that it was eight o'clock. I put on a casual outfit and did my usual makeup routine and left my hair down. I wasn't hungry, so I just stayed in my room. I went on Facebook for a while and chatted with Jessica, Lauren, and Amanda. My parents still didn't know that I had an account and I had no intention of telling them. Knowing Dad, he'd make me get rid of it. Before I knew it, the clock claimed that it was noon so I logged off and went downstairs to find that Mom had made my favorite food; pancakes.

"Hey Mom," I said.

"Hello Sweetie, what are your plans for today?" she asked as she set a plate of food in front of me.

"I don't really have anything planned. Well, I am going to do the last step to make Dad go insane but that's pretty much it. Maybe I'll call Jessica or somebody and chat for a while," I said.

"Enjoy your free time while it lasts. School starts up again in September," Mom said.

"That sounds like a long time but I'm sure it will creep up on me."

"It always does," she said.

I decided that three would be a good time to call Dad. I allowed my siblings to sit in the room and listen as long as they promised not to make a sound. I dialed star-six-seven first to hide my number. It rang and rang until Dad picked up on the tenth ring.

"Dr. Carlisle Cullen speaking, what can I do for you?" Dad asked pleasantly. I could hear voices in the background. Good, he wasn't alone in his office.

"This is Ima Wiena from the city of Morgue! You stab 'em we slab 'em. We've received the body," I said in a weird voice so Dad wouldn't recognize me.

It was silent for a minute.

"I'm a wiener?" Dad asked confusedly.

I could hear laughing in the background.

"That's right, good Sir!" I said cheerfully.

"From the city of Morgue?" Dad asked doubtfully.

"That's right!"

About a minute of silence followed.

"This is I'm a wiener from the city of Morgue?" Dad asked.

I couldn't hold it in any longer. I hung up and burst into laughter along with my brothers and sisters. I could hear Mom laughing from downstairs too. I could only imagine the people at the hospital, and Dad's face. That must be priceless. I'm sure that if he could blush, he would be. I wondered if he would say anything about it when he got home. He surely would when he saw the list.

Dad got home around eight, the usual time. Instead of taking his stuff to his study and changing out of his dress shirt and pants, he dropped his stuff in the living room and sat down by Mom on the couch. He ordered all of us out of the room. We stood next to the doorway out of sight but still close enough so that we could hear.

"How was work, Husband?" Mom asked, playing her part perfectly.

"Very, very strange. I got this call from a woman named Ima Wiena from the city of Morgue this afternoon. She said that they had received the body. I had no idea what she was talking about," Dad said and sighed.

"I think you could use some alone time. Why don't you go up to your study and relax? I can handle the kids," Mom suggested.

"All right, Love. I don't know what I'd do without you," Dad said, relief clear in his voice.

"Go," Mom ordered.

He picked up his bag and walked up to his study. We had managed to disperse before he saw us, so that we didn't look suspicious. I ran up to my room and grabbed the list and waited five minutes before going to his study. I didn't knock and went in to find him sitting at his desk rubbing his temples. He didn't look up as he spoke.

"Ella, please leave me alone for a while," Dad said.

I gave a fake sigh of despair and sadness. "I always knew you didn't want me around."

He stopped his motions and put his hand on his forehead as if he had a headache.

"Sweetheart, now you know that's not true. Daddy's just had a long and strange day. I just need some time to think things through, okay? I'll tell you when I am ready to spend time with you, all right? Please go," he begged.

I ignored his request. "I think I can clear up some of your confusion."

He rubbed his face before looking up at me.

"What do you mean?" he asked slowly.

I didn't answer and walked over to his desk. I set the piece of paper in front of him and watched his expression as he read it.

"You've had this all planned out?" he asked.

"Yep, for months," I said with a smile.

"And your mother was in on it?"

"Yep."

"You're diabolical," he said.

"Do you still love me?" I asked.

He didn't answer. It was quiet for a few minutes.

"Are you going to do it ever again?" he asked.

"No," I answered, not knowing if it was true or not.

"Then yes, I still love you," he said.

"I love you too Daddy," I said, giving him a hug.

"It's amazing how you make me feel better," Dad said as he hugged me back.

We stayed in that position for a while. Neither of us spoke. We just cuddled in silence. Every time he held me, all of my insecurities came back but quickly went away because of his comfort. There were many things that no one in the world could do better than he could, but the best one in my opinion was his ability to love and comfort endlessly.

"Baby Girl have I ever told you how much I love you?" he said, breaking the silence.

"Yeah," I said in a strained voice, I was trying not to cry. "A lot."

"Well, let me just say that it is much more than that. I love you more and more every day," he said lovingly.

"I feel safe with you Daddy," I told him.

"As you should. I won't let anybody hurt you."

The rest of the summer passed quickly. We didn't do anything special, really. Towards the end, the entire family went up to Alaska to see the Denali's. We did all of our school shopping exactly a week before the first day of school. Now I was once again back to waking up at six every morning. The only thing I liked about school was that I got to see my friends.

"Come on Ella, we have to go," Dad urged from the garage.

"I'm coming!" I said, slipping on my shoes.

The half hour ride to school was boring, but it was exciting when we got there. I immediately ditched Dad and went to meet up with my friends. We sat outside and chatted until the first bell. The beginning of fourth grade was basic, your typical first day of school. Discovery was really a nice place. It kinda sucked that it only went up to eighth grade. I wouldn't mind being able to spend my high school days here. I enjoyed my time there while I had it though. The days turned to weeks, the weeks turned to months, and the months turned to years. And now here I was, sitting in the living room with my parents while my brothers and sisters were out hunting. It was the night before the first day of eighth grade and we were talking about where I would go for high school. I already had one in mind, but convincing them probably wouldn't be very easy.

"Ella, you can't ask me for an answer right now. I haven't gotten time to find a place yet," Dad said.

"Not had time? Please! You've had five years now going on six to decide. Figure it out or I will," Mom said. She wasn't too happy with Dad either. I could tell that they had talked about this before.

"And I will figure something out," Dad said confidently.

"May I say something? I already picked out a school that I think you guys will approve of. It's a private Catholic school called Saint John's Preparatory School," I said.

"Ella I know nothing about that school," Dad said.

"But all my friends are going there!" I said.

"That doesn't mean it's a good school," he said.

"But its name is Saint John's Preparatory School!" I said.

"If you think a fancy name is going to sell me on a place I know nothing about, think again," Dad said.

"Dad, I'm twelve years old, I think I can make this decision," I said angrily.

"She has a point on that one," Mom said. Good, she was on my side.

"You know what? Fine! I don't care what you do, as long as you're happy! Don't worry about safety or anything because I'm sure that it is all just peachy!" Dad said and stormed out of the room.

Mom and I stared after him but didn't move or speak.

"I think he's mad," I said.

"You don't say. He'll get over it. You are old enough to decide where you want to go, he just needs to realize that," Mom said.

"There's one more thing," I said.

"What?"

"Tuition is fourteen thousand dollars a year. And that would be for four years, he won't pay that if he doesn't like the school," I said.

"Yes he will. Give him some time to cool off and he'll accept your decision. Now go to bed, you don't want to end up being tired or late tomorrow," she said.

I went to bed unhappy. I hated it when Dad and I fought. Why couldn't we ever just agree on things? Life would be so much easier that way. Oh well, there would have to be some time in my life that we would get along.

There was one more thing.

Dad said peachy.

Now that added some humor to this whole mess.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Why did Ella have to grow up so fast? I knew that this was indeed a decision she could make for herself, but I didn't want her to. It felt like I was losing Ella more and more each second. I knew in reality, I was. Each second made her older, closer to being an adult. What hurt the most was when Ella talked about growing up. She had dreams, ambitions, and goals upon goals. I was proud of her and I wanted her to achieve all of them, but they all centered on being older. I was just so afraid of losing her.

"Carlisle, are you okay?" my wife asked, cautiously opening the door.

"Yes and no," I answered.

She came in and closed the door behind her. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I told her all of my thoughts, all of my fears. I told her about what I worried would happen. I told her that I worried Ella would fall in love with the wrong man. I worried he wouldn't treat her right and that it would end up in divorce. I didn't want her to go through that pain. My biggest worry was love. Nothing was more powerful and heartbreaking than love.

Ella hadn't shown much interest in men so far. I mean, sure she had her cute little crushes and everything but nothing serious. But now that she was getting older, all of the cuteness could very easily and very quickly turn to seriousness.

"So that's really your biggest worry? Her falling in love?" Esme asked.

"I worry about a lot of other things too," I said defensively.

She shook her head and smiled. "Carlisle, you're worrying about all of this much too soon. Ella is only twelve years old. Yes, she will have boyfriends through her school years but I doubt that any of them will turn out to be anything. She will probably think that she fell in love and then the boy goes and breaks her heart. She'll cry and you'll tell her he was no good anyway and offer to take care of him –"

"That won't be an offer," I interrupted.

She gave me a pointed look.

"All right, I'll be quiet," I said, giving up.

"ANYWAY, then she'll feel better and smile. There might be many repeats or maybe she will wait until she finishes school. You've got to let her try things, Carlisle. It's the only way she'll ever know what to do in situations. If you handle everything, she won't know how to deal with anything herself. That's how you end up with a troubled adult," Esme said.

Taking in her words, I realized she was right. I had to stop babying Ella and let her figure things out for herself. I'd rather she make mistakes while she's young and while she is under my care. I would have no control once she turned eighteen. And if she made mistakes then, I wouldn't be able to help her as much.

"Esme, you are an extremely intelligent woman. You are incredibly right about everything. You're saying that I should let her make mistakes now instead of when she is an adult and could get into a lot more trouble," I concluded.

"Exactly."

I sighed. "That will be hard, but you'll help me, right?"

"Of course," she smiled. "That's what parenthood is all about during the teenage years."

"And it never ends with the other kids," I said.

"Never."

We shared a passionate kiss.

I realized that it wasn't all about her being little. Letting her make mistakes and helping her fix them was what mattered the most. I wanted the seven years before I found her, but I couldn't have them. I wanted all those little moments, but those were gone and past. I realized that now, molding her into a woman, was the most important job a parent could ever have.

And I would do my damnedest to succeed.

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**A/N: Sorry that it was short, but it needed to be. I was running out of ideas for Ella's childhood but I have loads of high school stuff. Don't be sad and think that all the cute stuff that has happened before is going to stop, because it isn't. Trust me, I have got MAJOR plans for this story, but I will not reveal them until they are put into chapters. There was a big time jump in this chapter and I hope you're not confused. Just a recap, Ella is now twelve and in eighth grade. Poor Carlisle is struggling with his little girl growing up. Please review and vote on my poll! :-)**


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. This week has been crazy but next week shouldn't be so busy. I won't give you a list of excuses, because all you want to do is read this. It's over four thousand words, so you should enjoy it. I also would like to thank you for the reviews. Please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I am not the talented Stephanie Meyer. **

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**CHAPTER 24:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

The first day of eighth grade was the same as any other year. I was friends with almost everyone and didn't have nearly enough time to chat before the first bell. After it rang, I made my way to Mrs. Kolb's classroom with my original three friends Jessica, Lauren, and Amanda. We laughed at how we used to be snotty brats who called ourselves "The Clique." I looked back at my childhood and smiled. I had to be one of the luckiest girls in the world.

"All right class, before I make announcements and send you off to your first class, I would like to introduce a new student, Alec Lautner. Alec, why don't you stand up and introduce yourself," Mrs. Kolb said.

He was the boy who sat next to me in the back row. When I turned to look at him, he gave me an unsettling glare. I had no idea why, he didn't even know me! As I looked at him longer, I realized that he looked like your typical Bad Boy. Dark clothes, dark hair that flopped into dark brown eyes, and a dense demeanor. He was so damn sexy.

"I'm Alec and I'm fourteen. I'm older because I failed seventh grade twice. I skipped school too much so that's my story," he said and sat back down.

"Well . . . all right then. Now I hand out everyone's class schedule and . . ." Mrs. Kolb said. I knew she was still talking, but I couldn't comprehend what she was saying. I was too focused on Alec Lautner, the Bad Boy.

I glanced over at him, glad to see that he wasn't looking at me. He had pale skin, but it wasn't ridiculously pale. He had dark brown hair that flopped over his dark brown eyes, long fingers, a muscular build, but it wasn't anything like Emmett's buff. He wore a black leather jacket over a gray T-shirt and jeans that were almost black. He was wearing shiny black Oyster shoes. He had an incredible sense of style.

Alec must have sensed my gaze because he abruptly turned to glare at me. I immediately dropped my gaze in embarrassment and shame. Mrs. Kolb walked by my desk and gave me my schedule.

"Thanks," I muttered as I studied it.

**ELLA DIXIE CULLEN'S SCHEDULE**

**1****st**** Period – Algebra – Mr. Larson**

**2****nd**** Period – Literature – Mrs. Kolb**

**3****rd**** Period – Science – Mr. Allenbecker**

**4****th**** Period – Gym – Mr. Backus **

**5****th**** Period – Lunch **

**6****th**** Period – German – Mr. Beck **

**7****th**** Period – World History – Mrs. Anderson**

**8****th**** Period – Choir – Mr. Paulson**

**9****th**** Period – Drama – Mr. Engholm **

I thought my schedule looked pretty good. I hoped that I had classes with some of my friends. It was very likely since I had a lot of friends. I hoped that I didn't have a single class with Bad Boy, homeroom was bad enough.

It was third period and so far Bad Boy had been in every class of mine. When the bell rang, he got up and stormed out of the room. I saw that he had left his schedule on his desk. I hurriedly picked it up. I planned on returning it to him when I saw him next. I couldn't help but take a peek at his schedule. After I read it, I gulped.

We had all the same classes. Well, apart from eighth, he had band.

I headed to gym in a daze. I dreaded entering because I knew who was inside. I took a deep breath and went in. I scanned the room until I saw him. I unwillingly walked up to him.

"Um, Alec? Here, you left your schedule in Science," I said, holding it out to him.

He took the paper out of my hands and walked away. He probably assumed that I had looked at it, and he was right.

The rest of the day passed quickly. The only class I enjoyed was Choir, because Alec wasn't there. I liked Drama, but that required seeing Alec. After Mr. Engholm got through what he needed to, he gave us the last ten minutes of class to talk. I would have been thrilled with that, but before I could get to my friends, Bad Boy stole me.

"Listen _Girl_," he spit. "I will tell you right now that I am not interested so you can stop following me around like a puppy. You are young, you are ugly, and I want nothing to do with you. My life is already Hell, and I don't need you to make it worse. **STAY **_**AWAY**_** FROM ME**."

I stepped back as if he had pushed me. My stomach felt like he had punched it. I watched as he walked away toward the group of other Bad Boys. Not being able to take it anymore, I ran out the door and into the girl's bathroom. I locked myself in the stall feeling like I was going throw up. When I finally pulled myself together enough to move, I called Dad.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Daddy," I cried.

"Baby Girl, what's wrong?" he asked.

"I need you to pick me up from school NOW!"

"Honey your mother will be there in about ten minutes, what happened? Are you hurt?" he asked.

"No, not physically," I cried.

"Your mother can get there faster than I can. Just wait it out and talk to her, okay? You can talk to me when I get home, all right?"

"Okay," I said, trying to get ahold of myself.

"I love you," Dad said.

"Love you too," I said and hung up.

While I waited for Mom's call, I tried to fix myself. I stopped crying and fixed my makeup. Once I looked presentable, I left the bathroom and walked to my locker to get my things. I made it outside just as Mom pulled up. I threw myself in the car and started crying as soon as I shut the door.

"Dad called, we'll talk once we get home, okay?" she said gently.

I didn't answer, I couldn't. I just sobbed the whole way home. Mom had made everyone leave before she left to get me. We went into my bedroom and sat on my bed. She held me and I just cried for five minutes before finally getting myself together enough to speak.

"I had a horrible day!" I sobbed.

"I figured as much, what happened?" Mom asked.

"There's this new boy Alec Lautner. He's been really mean to me!" I cried.

"Tell me about your whole day," she said.

"In homeroom, he introduced himself and said he was fourteen and in eighth grade because he skipped so much school. He glares at me all the time and in Drama, he said that I was following him around like a little puppy and that I was young, ugly, and he wanted nothing to do with me! Then he told me to stay away from him. I ran into the girl's bathroom and cried. And the killer is, I thought he was hot!" I sobbed.

"Oh Honey! I'm so sorry! Can I tell you something though?" she asked.

I looked up at her. "What?"

"A boy is typically mean to you because he likes you. I know it may not seem like it, but it's true. Boys are strange, Ella. Believe me, I've been married to your father for long enough to know that," Mom said with a smile.

"Mom, I don't think that's it. He's a Bad Boy," I explained.

"It's just the same, Sweetheart," Mom said.

"So eighth grade is just going to be Hell?" I asked. I could feel the sobs coming again.

"I don't know Honey. Just give it time, okay? It's only the first day. Focus on your friends, not him," Mom advised.

"Thanks," I said and hugged her.

I ate a salad for an early dinner and went to bed. I just wanted this horrible day to end.

Tuesday morning came much too soon. I unwillingly got out of bed and got ready. I sluggishly went down the stairs. I barely ate anything and when I got to school, I didn't talk to anybody. I waited until there was only thirty seconds till the second bell. I wanted to stay away from him for as long as I could. When I did go in, he wasn't in his desk. I sat down and looked straight ahead. I kept that pose until I felt something hit my hand. I looked down on my desk and saw a folded piece of paper. I hid it under my desk and opened it. Inside, there was a note written in messy handwriting.

You weren't here by the first bell and I thought that you wouldn't be here today. Turns out I was wrong and you are back to ruin my day with your ugliness. This is me reminding you to stay away from me. If you talk to me today, you will regret it. I want nothing to do with you. By the way, I enjoyed seeing you run out of the room crying yesterday. Do not write a note back to me. You are a pathetic little twelve year old girl, leave me alone. You never have a chance at a guy as cool as me. Maybe you should try for one of those pathetic nerds, they seem more your league. I want no interaction with you. I'm so glad that I don't have to spend another school year with you. One is bad enough. DO NOT EVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN!

The guy that hates you,

Alec.

I read that and felt like crying. He was such a jerk! And he had to give it to me in class, it couldn't wait till the last period or he couldn't have put it in my locker. I couldn't wait to show Dad this note.

I didn't give Bad Boy the glory of a glance. I looked straight ahead and tried to keep myself in check. I wanted to tear him apart, but I wasn't physically capable of that. However, Dad was.

The rest of the day passed quickly. Mom picked me up and I didn't tell her anything. She tried to get it out of me, but was unsuccessful.

"I told your dad about that boy," Mom said.

"Thanks. It would have been hard for me to tell him," I said.

"That's kinda what I was thinking," she said.

At eight-thirty, I said that I wanted to talk to everyone. We gathered in the living room and I showed everyone the note.

"See?! He hates me!" I sobbed, leaning into Mom.

"He's just being a bastard. Don't let it get to you, you're too good for that douchebag anyway," Rosalie said.

"It still hurts!" I cried.

"I know it does Sweetheart. Do you want me to tell the school about it?" Dad asked.

"Dad, that's really a childish thing to do. I just need to work through my problems," I said.

"Don't be afraid of him Darlin'. He's just acting all tough to impress you. I'm with Mom on this one, he likes you," Jasper said.

"Whatever."

The rest of the week passed by and I avoided Bad Boy as much as possible. I focused on my close friends. I had a crush on a really cute boy too. His name was Dylan. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. We really liked each other. We were going to go out on our first date Friday night. I didn't tell anyone, and now I was in my room getting ready for my date. My first date!

When I was ready, I went downstairs to find Mom. I figured I'd have better luck with her than with Dad. He'd probably insist that he walk me in, if he let me go at all.

"Hey Mom?" I said, skipping into her bedroom. Lucky for me, Dad was still doing paperwork in his study.

"Hey Sweetie, what do you need?" she asked.

"I was wondering if you would drive me to the movies. I'm meeting up with some friends," I explained lightly.

"Sure, let me get my purse. Do you have money?" she asked.

"Yeah," I said, turning around to skip out the door. I almost ran into Dad. Crap.

"Hold up, what's this all about?" he asked, a serious expression on his face.

"I'm going to the movies with some friends," I said.

"What movie?" he asked.

"Vampire's Kiss," I answered honestly.

He looked a little stunned at the title. Yeah Dad, new flash, they make movies about vampires even though they're real.

"Rating?" he asked.

"PG-13," I said.

"You're only twelve," he said.

"Dad, some of my friends are thirteen. There isn't anything inappropriate, we looked at the reviews before deciding," I said. Actually, Dylan and I hadn't done anything but pick the movie.

"Will there be boys?" Dad asked.

I had to choose my words carefully so I didn't lie.

"No, there won't be boys," I said, trying not to emphasize the "boys" too much.

He sighed. "Then you may go."

"I was already planning on it," I snapped.

"Ella, none of that. Your father just wants to make sure you're safe," Mom reprimanded.

"Can we just go?" I asked. I didn't want to keep Dylan waiting.

The drive to the theater took too long for my liking. I texted Dylan and told him not to notice me when I arrived. It probably wouldn't bug Mom as much as Dad, but I didn't want to take my chances.

"Thanks Mom, I'll call you when it's over," I said as I got out of the car. She drove away as I walked in. I found Dylan waiting by the ticket booth.

"Hey Dylan!" I said, walking up to him.

"Oh, hey Ella," he said flashing me a heart-stopping smile.

"Let me just buy my ticket and then we can go get popcorn," I said, walking toward the booth.

"Oh, uh, I kinda already bought your ticket," he said.

Ooh, what a gentleman.

"Thanks! You didn't have to do that, do you want me to pay you back?" I asked.

"No, no! I asked you out, so I'm supposed to pay for it. That's how it works, right?" he asked.

"I don't know, I'm new at this whole dating thing," I said honestly.

"Me too," he smiled. He seemed to relax a little too.

We had something in common.

It was decided that I would pay for the popcorn. We decided to share a bucket, so I paid for it to even out the cost a bit. We got our seats and waited for the previews to end and the movie to start. We didn't say much through the previews, just commented on this and that. When the movie began, it didn't have my attention. I was too focused on the fact that I was on a date. I looked over at Dylan. His hand was upturned on the armrest like he was holding someone's hand. I put mine in it. He looked over and smiled. When the movie ended, we walked out and stopped in the deserted hallway.

"Well, I had a really good time tonight," I said.

He smiled. "Me too."

"I . . . I don't want to leave," I admitted.

"Neither do I. Hey, listen, maybe we could go out for lunch Sunday," he suggested.

"Really?" I grinned.

"Sure. We could meet up at that new sandwich shop," he said.

"Yeah, how about around noon?" I asked.

"Cool."

"Great. Well, I better go," I said.

"Yeah, yeah. See you Sunday," he said, walking away.

I walked to the door in a daze. Had I really just went on first date? Had I really just got asked out again? Yes, I had. I walked out the door and was just about to dial Mom's number when Dad pulled up. Uh oh, please don't let anything slip.

"Hey Dad!" I greeted as I opened the door.

"Hello Sugar Plum Princess, did you have fun?" he asked with a smile.

"Yeah, the movie was great." Actually I had no idea what it was about but he didn't need to know that.

"Good," he said.

It was silent for a few minutes.

"Ella, you know that I love you, right?"

I looked over at him, confused. "Of course, why would you ask?"

"And you know that I care about you?"

"Yes," I nodded, not sure where this was going.

"I don't mind you going out with your friends, but could you promise me one thing?" he asked.

"What?"

"Promise that you will be careful, and never put yourself in any danger," he begged.

I couldn't believe this.

"Dad, pull over," I commanded.

He looked at me with wide eyes but obeyed. Once we were stopped, I unbuckled and climbed over onto his lap, putting my back carefully against the steering wheel.

"Dad, look at me," I demanded.

He turned his sad, golden eyes to mine.

"Dad, I can read between the lines. You don't want me to grow up, I know. We've talked about this before. I will grow up, but I'll always be close to you, Mom, and everyone else. And you know what I've decided? I decided that if I was dying, I would want you to change me. I don't want to ever be without you guys. And I've decided that after I have my chance at a family of my own, I want to be a vampire. You saved me, and I can't just ignore that. You and Mom are my hero and heroine, I don't want to ever be away from either of you," I said powerfully.

He looked into my eyes for a minute.

"All right, Baby Girl, you caught me. I am worried about you growing up and losing you but I realize that it's inevitable, and that you won't ever let that happen. Thank you, Sweetheart, that's all I needed to hear," he said, relieving some of the tension.

"Good," I sighed, relaxing and leaning back.

Unfortunately I put too much weight on my back and made the horn beep, scaring the shit out of myself.

"Holy crap!" I exclaimed, throwing myself into Dad's chest.

He looked at me for a second before bursting into laughter. It shook the whole car. I climbed back over to the passenger seat and crossed my arms.

"Shut up and take me home," I grumbled.

Still laughing, he started the car and began driving again. I couldn't help it, I had to join in. All the tension was gone now, and I felt like the little girl I used to be. Just little Ella and her daddy, goofing off as usual.

Ah, the childhood memories.

When we got home, I went straight to my room and texted Jessica, Lauren, and Amanda about my date with Dylan. They were all so happy for me and swore not to tell anyone. I went to bed with a smile on my face. Today had gone well.

Saturday was uneventful and boring. I spent quality time with my brothers and sisters by playing Mario Kart. I also played with Angel, who was getting older but still very lively for a four-year-old dog. She was bigger now, a lot bigger. I couldn't hold her anymore; she had grown into a huge Golden Retriever. She liked tennis balls and Frisbees and still thought she was a little lap dog. Emmett would sometimes indulge her by picking her up and cuddling her. I just wasn't strong enough. Or tall enough. I was short at just five feet. I prayed that I would get taller. I wanted to be twenty and not have to wear high heels all the time because I looked like a child without them. My body was developing fine, though. I had a little bit of cleavage, and a little bit of curve in all the right places. I was skinny and I looked perfect, if I do say so myself. I was fortunate enough not to have acne, but I knew that may not last. Most of my friends had a little bit of it. I hoped that I would be able to skip that whole ordeal all together, and just have pure skin. I washed my face every day so I hoped that would prevent it. Overall, I was satisfied with my body. Minus my shortness.

Sunday came quicker than I thought it would and here I was, standing in my room trying to figure out what to wear. I decided to keep it simple with jeans and a nice shirt. I stuck on my black boots and did my makeup and hair. I went downstairs to find Mom so she could take me to the restaurant. I looked everywhere, but I couldn't find her. I went to Dad's study and found him there, reading a book as usual.

"Where's Mom?" I asked.

"At the grocery store," he answered without looking up from his book.

Crap, here goes nothing.

"Could you please take me to that new sandwich shop? I'm meeting a few friends for lunch," I said.

That got his attention. He set the book down and looked at me.

"Which friends?" he asked.

"Same ones that I went to the movie with; Jessica, Lauren, and Amanda," I lied smoothly.

"All right, when should I pick you up?" he asked.

"I'll call you, now let's go," I said.

Dad dropped me off and I went inside. I found Dylan sitting at a booth away from the window. Smart guy.

"Hi," I said sitting down on the opposite side.

"Hey Ella," Dylan said, flashing me one of his trademark grins.

"Sorry I'm late. My Mom went to the grocery store so I had to get my dad to take me," I explained, hoping he would understand.

"He let you come?" Dylan asked, amazed.

I grimaced. "He thinks I'm out with friends."

"Ah, I see. Tell me what you want to eat and I'll go get it," he offered.

"Just a roast beef sandwich would be great," I said.

He left and came back five minutes later with two sandwiches.

"Thanks," I said as he handed me mine.

"I got us waters, is that okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, it's probably for the best that I don't have sugar," I said.

He smiled. "Does it affect you?"

I nodded. "Yes, very much so."

"I don't know much about you, tell me about yourself," he commanded.

"What do you want to know?" I asked.

"Hmm, I don't know. What's your favorite color?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Anything neon."

"You were adopted, right?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"Can you tell me about before that?" he asked.

Why did he want to know something so personal?

"Won't you tell me?" he asked.

"I've never told anyone but my family before," I said.

"Please, just a little bit?"

"I don't want to talk about it Dylan," I said sharply.

"All right, all right, you don't have to. Sorry for upsetting you," he apologized.

"It's cool," I said dismissively.

"Let's move on to lighter topics," he suggested.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was a little suspicious as I dropped Ella off at the restaurant. She had gone out with the same friends on Friday, why would she do it again? I knew she was a very social person, but she had never met up with friends for lunch before. I let it go, and started the drive home. I passed by the mall and saw Lauren and Amanda coming out of the doors, shopping bags in hand. I turned into the parking lot, and rolled down my window to talk to them.

"Hey Dr. Cullen!" Lauren greeted when she saw me.

"Hello Dear. Forgive me for being so blunt, but Ella informed me that she was meeting you two and Jessica at the new sandwich shop," I said.

"She never said anything," Amanda said, looking at Lauren.

"Yeah, and Jessica's at her aunt's this weekend," Lauren said.

"Is that so?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

Then I thought of something.

"How was the movie Friday night?" I asked.

"What movie?" Amanda asked.

"Ella told me that she went with you two and Jessica to Vampire's Kiss Friday night," I said.

They both shook their heads.

"We haven't seen Ella at all this weekend, neither has Jessica," Lauren said.

What was Ella up to?

"Well thank you, girls. Is there anywhere I can take you?" I asked.

"No, my Mom's just across the street," Amanda said.

"All right then, see you girls later," I said and drove off.

I sped back to the diner. I went inside and ordered a sandwich. Ella could eat it later. While I was waiting, I peeked into the dining room. I scanned the room, stopping when I saw Ella sitting at a table in the back corner where there were no windows. I felt my eyes change to black.

_Ella was sitting at the table with a boy. _

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**A/N: Ella is going to have to be more sneaky if she wants to keep secrets from Dr. Carlisle Cullen. I know that you probably don't like Alec very much right now, but you'll just have to bear with me. I don't want to give too much away. Please review this chapter and vote on my poll. **


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Over five thousand views! Every time that number changes, it helps me write. As usual, a thanks to those who review, follow, or favorite this story. I'm also glad that you read it! Anyway here is Chapter 25.**

**Disclaimer: I have absolutely nothing to do with Twilight except for the fact that I am a total Twihard!**

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**CHAPTER 25:**

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I couldn't believe it. My sweet little princess had lied to me. She had been honest and innocent her whole life, but now that was all out the window. My baby had told me she was going to meet up with her friends, and I had believed her. It hurt so much to find her here with a boy, to see that she'd lied. She was obviously on a date, which she was too young to be doing.

It took everything I had to not run over there and snatch Ella into my arms, or kill the boy. I could do that so easily. Wait, why am I having these thoughts? I am not a killer, I am a healer. I watched the two of them. They were talking and laughing and having a good time. Ella was smiling and leaning towards the boy. The boy was in the same position, so they were very close together. They didn't even seem to notice their proximity, or didn't care. It _looked_ innocent enough.

Then, they boy reached up and took Ella's hand. She smiled and reached her other hand across the table so they were holding both of each other's hands. They went down onto their elbows, put their hands up, and interlaced fingers. I saw red. No boy had the right to hold my daughter's hand that way. I almost walked to their table, but a voice pulled me from my thoughts.

"Your sandwich, Sir," the woman from behind the counter said.

"Thank you," I said. I paid then walked back out to my car. I dialed Esme's number and waited for her to answer.

"Hello?" her angelic voice greeted.

"Hello Dear, could you and the other's take a little hunting trip? I'll call you when you can come home."

"Okay, but why?" she asked.

"I will explain later. I love you," I said.

She sighed. "Love you too, bye."

After getting off the phone with her, I decided to call Ella. She picked up after the sixth ring.

"What Dad?" she asked grumpily.

"Don't be short with me, Young Lady. I was just calling to see if you were ready to be picked up. You've been at the diner for almost two hours," I said.

"Hold on, can I call you back?" she asked.

"No, it's a simple question that can be answered with a simple answer. Are you ready to be picked up?" I asked.

She sighed. "I guess."

"All right, I will be there very soon. Watch for me."

The phone beeped to tell me that she'd hung up.

We certainly had a lot to discuss.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I hung up on Dad and turned my attention back to Dylan.

"Sorry, that was my dad. I have to go, but could we do this again?" I asked.

He smiled. "Of course, I really enjoyed it."

"Yeah, me too. Well, see you later," I said, getting up from the booth.

I walked out the door and saw Dad just pulling up. I got in the car and slammed the door shut. He was the reason that I had to end my wonderful date with Dylan. I expected him to say something, but he didn't. The ride home was filled with awkward silence.

When we did get home, no one was there. I figured that they'd gone hunting so I just started up the stairs to my room. I didn't get very far when Dad stopped me.

"Ella, could you come to my study for a minute please?" Dad asked, his voice toneless.

"Uh, why?" I asked.

"Just come," he commanded.

I followed him into the study. He gestured for me to take a seat in front of his desk. This wasn't normal, at all.

"What?" I asked once he was seated.

"I just wanted to know how the movie and lunch went. I didn't get a chance to ask you about it Friday," he said.

"The movie was . . . fun and today was, nice," I said.

"How were Jessica, Lauren, and Amanda?" Dad asked.

"Um . . . good, I guess," I said.

"What did you girls do?" he asked.

"Um, talked. Why are you so curious?" I asked.

"I'm curious because after I dropped you off at the diner, I passed by the mall and saw Lauren and Amanda coming out with their arms full of shopping bags. When I talked to them, they told me Jessica had gone to her aunt's and none of them had any contact with you this weekend," he said in an informative voice.

At that moment, I knew that he knew.

"You spied on me."

"You lied to me," he accused.

"Only because you wouldn't have let me go if I told you the truth!" I defended.

"So you went and did something that you knew I wouldn't approve of?"

"I don't see how you have any say in the matter," I said snottily.

"I have a say in the matter because I am your father and –"

"You are not my father!" I interrupted.

I saw pain shoot across his eyes. I continued before he could recover.

"Just because you adopted me doesn't mean that you are my father! You don't get to tell me what I can and can't do! That is not up to you! I am my own person and I can make my own decisions! I don't care what you think! **TAKE YOUR RULES AND BLOW THEM OUT YOUR ASS!**" I screamed.

Now he was mad.

"Ella Dixie Cullen! Go to your room! I am too upset to deal with you right now! Stay there until I call you back down here!" he commanded.

"That's Ella Dixie _**Geller**_, thank you very much," I said before stomping off to my room.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

She had no idea how much that hurt. It was cute and meaningless when she was younger but now that she was older, I wasn't so sure. Did she not want to be a part of the family anymore? I felt something wet on my face. I looked up, expecting a leak in the ceiling, but there wasn't one. I was crying. The tears were venom, but I was crying. That had never happened before. I didn't think that it was possible. Turned out it was. Something just had to hurt me enough.

Ella was enough to do that.

I knew that her words were meant to hurt me, but I didn't know if they were real feelings or not. She had hurt me deeply, in more ways than one, but had I hurt her? I knew that she had trusted me to give her privacy, had I broken that trust? She was right, I had spied on her. She had every right to be angry, but I did too. She had lied to me, not once, but twice, and screamed hurtful things at me. We needed to understand each other; our number of disagreements was getting to be out of control.

I thought about our conversation. How dare she swear at me! Where in her right mind did she see that it was okay?! I had always discouraged her of swearing every time I heard it, but she probably did it when I wasn't around too. I worked most of the day almost every day so that gave her lots of opportunities. I knew her siblings and her friends wouldn't discourage her of it, so how would I get her to stop? I realized that I had always been too lenient, never punishing her. I could only remember one time that I had, and that was a long time ago and I had only grounded her. Esme hadn't approved, so she was also being much too lenient. Whenever the kids got in trouble, she left punishing them to me. Half the time I wasn't even around to catch it. I would put an end to Ella's rebelliousness and I knew just how to do it. Most old-school ways of discipline are considered abuse these days, but not all of them.

Now that I was calm enough, I went upstairs to Ella's room to deal with her. I decided that I would bring her to my study and talk to her before punishing her. Then I would talk to her some more before deciding on the punishment for the second part of her actions. I knocked on the door and waited for her to open it. When she did, she was steaming mad.

"What?" she snapped.

"Come to my study," I commanded.

She slammed her bedroom door before grumpily following me down to my study. I kept that in mind, I would need to talk to her about that too. I gestured for her to sit down in the chair across from my desk. I sat down on the other side and began to lecture her.

"Ella, I would appreciate it if you would look at me while I am speaking to you," I began.

She looked up at me and gave me her full attention.

"Thank you. Now we have many things to discuss, but I would like to tell you how our discussions work. You will give me my chance to talk before you speak. No interrupting, you will get your turn, understood?" I asked.

She nodded.

"Good. I would like to discuss your most recent behavior first before discussing what happened earlier and on Friday. First, we do not slam doors in this house. There is no reason for it and it is hard on the door's hinges, understood?"

She nodded again.

"Going on to our discussion earlier, that was very uncivilized and disrespectful. Rudeness, screaming, and profanity are not tolerated. There is no reason for any of it. I understand if it happens once in a while as a mistake, but you seem to speak rudely and curse a lot. That needs to change and it needs to change now. You did all three of those things to me not even ten minutes ago, and that is not okay. I am an adult and I will be respected. You will also respect your mother, teachers, siblings, and friends. I don't care what everyone else is doing; I only care about what you are doing. You spoke rudely to me and screamed at me and told me to blow my rules out my ass, that is not okay and it never will be. You need to learn what is right and what is wrong and the only way to do that is by punishing you. Come with me," I said, standing up.

Ella stood up and waited for my next direction. I walked over to her and placed my hand on her shoulder and steered her out the door into the nearest bathroom. I stood her in front of the sink and went to the closet. She watched as I pulled out a new bar of soap. It was all-natural soap so there wouldn't be any harmful chemicals to make her sick, but it sure wouldn't taste very pleasant. I opened it and ran it under the water for a minute to get it all sudsy. She watched with a confused expression as I did this. She had no idea what was happening.

I turned the water off and held the sudsy bar in my hand. She just stood there with that confused expression on her face.

"Open your mouth," I commanded.

Her expression of confusion turned to one of horror. She realized what was going on, and didn't want it to happen.

"No," she said softly.

"Yes," I said forcefully.

"Please Daddy no. I'm sorry. I promise to never talk to you like that again. I promise to try to get my swearing under control. Please, don't do this to me," she begged as tears began to roll down her face.

That tore at my heart. I almost gave in, but I remembered that being lenient hadn't worked before.

"Ella, I've given you chances before. I've let things go too many times and that is why we are even in this situation. I'm sorry for not doing this the first time so that we wouldn't have to do this. Now open your mouth," I said sadly.

That was when the tears turned to rivers, and the gasps turned to sobs.

"Please," she begged.

"It's only for five minutes. I will be here with you the whole time. You are not expected to deal with this alone, Sweetheart," I said comfortingly. I couldn't be harsh with her, not with how sorry the child was.

She obediently opened her mouth and sobbed. I felt so bad, but I was determined to never let this happen again.

"Good girl," I said, sticking the bar into her mouth.

She tried to get away, but I held the back of her head with my hand as I scrubbed. I focused mainly on her tongue, but scraped it against her teeth as well. She cried the entire time.

"Bite," I commanded.

She complied and cried harder.

"Five minutes," I reminded her.

I stood with my back against the wall and arms crossed. She turned around to face me and continued to sob. I gave her my eyes with a comforting look knowing she would need something to focus on. We just stared into each other's eyes, hers pleading and sorrowful, and I made mine as comforting as possible. I should probably have been glaring at her but she was doing so well and I didn't want to make her feel worse. She swallowed and her hands went instantly to her stomach. I wanted nothing more than to rip the vile object out of her mouth and give her water.

"Its all-natural soap, but it will make your stomach hurt a little. I promise that it won't harm you," I said.

As I looked into her eyes, I saw the helpless eight-year-old girl from four years ago. I was glad that there were only thirty-two seconds left, I wasn't sure how much longer I could bear to see her like this.

"All right Baby Girl, it's over," I said, taking the bar out of her mouth and throwing it away. Her tongue was hanging out of her mouth and she was gasping for air. I knew that most parents would have made their child deal with the taste, but she had been so cooperative.

"You may go brush your teeth and get rid of the taste. Would you like some apple juice?" I asked.

She nodded.

"It will be waiting for you in my study. I will give you ten minutes, go."

She croaked a thank you and sped off to her room. I went to the kitchen and got her the apple juice before going back to my study. I also grabbed a pill of Zofran that would hopefully help settle her stomach. All that was left to do was wait.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I vigorously brushed my teeth trying to get rid of the awful taste. I can't believe Dad did that to me! I knew that I'd earned it, but I never thought that would ever happen. My parents never punished me, but apparently that was going to change. I knew that I shouldn't have yelled or swore at Dad, but he was really making me mad. He shouldn't be able to decide what friends I hang out with. I am twelve years old and it's perfectly acceptable for me to have a boyfriend. Dylan's not even my boyfriend yet! We're just dating! I was seriously considering just going off and having sex just to piss Dad off but that probably wouldn't work out too well for me. I hadn't forgotten about Riley or what he did to me. Deciding that I couldn't put it off any longer, I rinsed my mouth and went down to Dad's study.

"You're right on time," Dad said as I entered.

I didn't answer; I just sat down and began drinking the apple juice that he had put in front of the chair. I was too mad to say anything. I knew what was coming and I didn't want to go through it.

"Baby Girl, eyes please," Dad said.

I looked up and glared at him.

"Ella, I didn't like having to do that to you, I really didn't. You just need to learn that acting like that is not tolerated. That will be the consequence every time you speak rudely, scream, or use profanity, got it? That is behind us and now we are on the matter of you lying to me. You are not allowed to lie to anyone under any circumstance. I shouldn't have to explain this to you; I know that you know better. You lied to me twice in one weekend. Twice! How am I supposed to believe a word you say?" he lectured.

I didn't say anything.

"Would please explain to me why you lied?" Dad asked.

"I lied because if I had told you the truth you wouldn't have let me go. It wasn't like I was going to get into trouble; I was just going out on a date, Dad. An innocent date! I'm twelve and I am old enough to start mingling with boys. It's nothing serious, just a crush. Dylan's really nice. He paid for my movie ticket and then for lunch today. He's not trying to do anything. We are just a little more than friends," I explained.

"Ella, dating is nothing to mess around with. He could break your heart so easily. I don't want to see you in pain, ever, so one of the ways that I can ensure that doesn't happen is by saving you from heartbreak. You just need to stay away from boys," Dad said.

"Dad, Dylan's not dangerous. And don't be afraid of me getting hurt by love, because someday I will get married and have children. If I never associate with boys, then that will never happen, and I want that to happen. I don't care if he breaks my heart because I know that in the end I'll end up with someone, whoever they are. We haven't kissed, it's nothing like that. We just want to get to know each other a little more," I said.

He seemed to think about my words. After a few minutes of silence, he spoke up.

"Fine, I won't try to keep you from Dylan, but I do need to meet him. Soon. But there is still the matter that you lied to me, twice," Dad said.

"Dad, I'm really sorry about that. I only did it because there wasn't any other way you would have let me go. Now that I know you're okay with it, I won't have to lie to you about that. Or anything," I said.

"So you're saying that you will never lie to me again?" Dad questioned, eyebrows raised in disbelief.

"As long as you promise to always listen and give me my fair chance to explain, I will never lie to you again," I said.

He was quiet. I could tell that I had given him a lot to think about. He finally came to his conclusion.

"All right, I promise to let you explain before I make any judgments on whatever subject. You will not be punished for this particular misdeed, but this is the only warning you will get. If you ever lie to me again, I will find out and you will be punished, understood?" he asked.

I nodded.

"I expect much better behavior from you in the future. Now go to your room and entertain yourself before I change my mind," he said, waving me off.

I didn't hesitate as I sped out the door. I ran all the way to my room and plopped down on the bed. Today had gone downhill from the date, and it would take a lot to make it back up to the top.

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**A/N: I had planned on continuing with this chapter, but this seemed like a perfect place to stop. I hope you liked it! Please review and vote on my poll. :)**


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: I apologize for the wait. School ends soon so I should have time to update over the summer. Please enjoy Chapter 26!**

**Disclaimer: Same as all the others. **

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**CHAPTER 26:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

As I lay on my bed, I let the day's events sink in. It wasn't long until I was bawling my heart out. I remembered every word that I had said to Dad, and regretted all of them. I had told him that he wasn't my father, but he really was. He was every part of my father except for the biological part. My biological father had never been a father to me. I cried harder as I thought about everything he'd done for me. In the past few hours, I had acted as if it was nothing. I took everything I had for granted. I felt horrible and wretched. I was a selfish brat, nothing more.

I lay in bed for hours, sobbing about what I had done. It was getting dark out and my eyes were starting to dry up. My throat was getting sore and my entire body ached. I didn't need to be carrying on like this, it was all my fault.

"Horrible," I scolded myself. "Wretched, wretched, wretched!"

Not long after that, I heard a soft knock. I didn't need Edward's power to know that it was Dad. He was the only one in the house, the others weren't back yet.

"Can I come in, Sweetheart?" Dad's gentle voice asked.

I was sobbing too hard to answer. He opened my door and came to my side.

"It sounds like you're torturing yourself," he said.

"I deserve much worse than torture," I choked.

Dad sighed and sat down on the bed. He pulled my chin up so that I had to look him in the eyes.

"Ella Dixie Cullen, what could possibly be going through that head of yours?"

I didn't answer; I was too ashamed of myself.

"Ella when I ask you a question I expect an answer," he urged.

"I'm a horrible person. I take everything that I have for granted. I am a selfish brat," I sobbed.

"Ella, you are not a horrible person. There is no such thing as a horrible person. You just made some bad decisions and you were punished for it. You are forgiven, your slate is clean. This will never be held against you," Dad said.

"I'm so sorry!" I cried.

"I know you are. I don't know how to say it more clearly; you are forgiven," Dad said firmly.

"Can I have a minute to pull myself together?" I asked.

"Of course," Dad said. He kissed my forehead and left, closing the door behind him.

Once I was alone, I pulled out my phone and called Dylan.

"Hello?"

"Hey Dylan its Ella,"

"Oh, hi. What's up?" he asked.

"My dad saw us at the diner and got mad. I just finished talking to him and now I feel really sad," I said.

"That's not good. Is he okay with us dating and all?" he asked worriedly.

"Well, he's not exactly thrilled about it, but he accepts it."

"So we don't have to break up?" he asked.

"Were we even a couple in the first place?" I asked.

"Yes. Or at least in my mind we were."

"Thanks. I wasn't really sure what our status was," I said.

"So we are boyfriend and girlfriend. That should cheer you up," he said.

"Yeah, a little bit," I admitted.

It was quiet for a minute.

"Do you want me to come over?" he asked warily.

"Really?! You would?!" It didn't seem real!

"Yes, if it would make you happy," he said.

"Of course! Wait, what time is it anyway?" I asked.

"Seven-thirty," he answered.

"Will your parents let you come?" I asked.

"Yeah, as long as I'm back by midnight."

"Get your butt over here then!"

"Your wish is my command. See you in a few. Can you text me your address?"

"Yeah I will once I hang up," I said.

"I'll let you go then. Bye," he said.

"Bye."

After I texted Dylan my address, I went to Dad's study to tell him that Dylan was coming over.

"Hey Dad," I said as I entered the study.

"Hello Sweetheart, you seem to be better. Is there a reason for that?" he asked.

"Actually, yes. Dylan's coming over for a little bit," I informed him.

It was so quiet that you would be able to hear a pin drop.

"He's _**what**_?"

"Coming over," I repeated. "You said that you wanted to meet him anyway."

"I do, but isn't it a little late?" Dad asked.

"No, and he won't stay long. I just told him that I'm said and I would feel better if he came over," I said.

"Fine, bring him here when he arrives," Dad said.

"When is everyone else going to be home?" I asked.

"Tomorrow morning."

"Oh."

I went downstairs and waited by the front door for Dylan. I knew it would be a while, but I wanted to be right there when he arrived. My time with him was limited, and I wanted to make every second count. At eight, the doorbell rang. I flung the door open.

"Dylan!" I cheered.

"Hey Beautiful," he said, pulling me into a lovely embrace.

"I'm so glad you're here," I said.

"Me too," he said into my hair.

We pulled apart as Dad walked into the room.

"Hello Dylan," Dad said.

"Hello Sir," Dylan said.

They shook hands. That was followed by an awkward silence.

"So," I said.

"He has to leave by ten," Dad said before walking out of the room.

"That was weird," Dylan commented.

"Agreed," I said.

"At least it's over with," he said.

"Yeah. Come on, let's go to my room," I said.

I lead him upstairs to my room.

"Your house is so big."

"Yeah, it really is. With a family of eight, you kind of need it," I said.

"You have _seven_ family members?" Dylan asked, astonished.

"Yep, but lucky for you they're all gone for the night," I said.

"Is it okay if I say that I'm relieved?"

"You should be, I have three older brothers," I said.

"I'm scared now."

I smiled. "So here's my room."

I opened the door to reveal the spotless room. Dylan seemed to be in shock.

"It's very you," he said.

"My mother decorated it," I said.

"She knows you well."

Angel came running over to us. She started sniffing Dylan's feet.

"Careful Angel, you'll pass out," I said.

Dylan looked at me. "My feet do not stink."

I raised my eyebrows but let it go. I walked across the room and pushed back the white curtains to reveal the glass doors that led out onto the balcony. I opened them and gestured for Dylan to come. With Angel in his arms, he followed me outside.

The view was of the forest, but all you could see was the silhouette of the trees in the dark. There was absolutely no sound, the most romantic setting. It got just a little bit more romantic when Dylan came to my side and put his arm around me. He passed Angel to me so that I could hold her in between us.

"I love you," he whispered and kissed my cheek.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

My first impression of Dylan was that he was a nice boy who was head over heels for my daughter. I thought that maybe, if Ella just _had_ to have a boyfriend, Dylan was the best I could ask for. He had come over when Ella requested, and he did that just to make her feel better. That's exactly what mates are supposed to do for each other. But it was just a first impression. That impression could change.

"I love you," I heard Dylan whisper to my daughter.

It was followed by the sound of a kiss. Being the worried and overprotective father I am, I quickly and silently left my study and went out the door to the side of the house that Ella's room was on. I needed to make sure that their moment wasn't too _in the moment_.

They were out on the balcony. I wouldn't be able to see what they were doing unless I stood a good distance away, but I couldn't risk them seeing me. Deciding to chance it, I darted across the lawn and into the thick forest to watch them in disguise. Peeking in-between the branches, I caught a glimpse of them. They were standing very close together with Angel in the middle of them. I couldn't deny that it was adorable; because it was. I stood there smiling at the romantic sight when I realized something.

This was a picture of the future.

Suddenly, both Dylan and Ella turned fifteen years older, and their bodies looked fully developed. The house morphed into one of a different size and shape, completely unfamiliar. On each of their hands was a gold ring, shining in the light of the moon. The Golden Retriever turned into a golden-haired child, wearing a white sundress. The moon became bigger and brighter, making the child's hair shine like the rings. The shine was so powerful that it made the scene look like daylight.

I shook my head in disbelief. Where did that vision come from? I wasn't Alice, so this shouldn't be happening. I was starting to believe that my worry was causing me to hallucinate. What scared me most was that scene could become very real. And what if it did? I shuddered, nonsense. With a sigh, I darted back to the house and sat down at my desk. I closed my eyes and held my head in my hands.

Why did parenting have to involve so much worry?

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"I should probably get going," Dylan said as he ended the kiss.

I sighed. "All right, bye."

He chuckled. "I promise I'll be back."

I walked him to the door and we shared one more romantic moment before he walked outside. I watched his bike disappear into the dark night. I backed away and closed the door. I slowly headed for Dad's office. There was no doubt that he would want to talk. As I shuffled up the stairs, I tried to prepare myself for the upcoming conversation. I honestly had no idea what to expect, I just hoped he wouldn't yell.

I knocked on the door.

"Come in Sweetie," Dad said.

I walked in and sat down across from him. I waited patiently and silently for the ranting to start. To my total surprise, he hadn't said a word yet. I waited a few more minutes, but he still didn't speak. I looked up to find him looking at me with a raised eyebrow.

"What can I do for you, Ella?"

"Don't you want to talk about tonight?" I asked, confused.

"Oh you mean about Dylan? He's a nice kid," Dad said, a genuine smile on his face.

I gave him a peculiar look.

"Really? That's it? No screaming or grounding me?" I asked.

He gave me a strange look. "Do you _want_ me to yell at you?"

"Well that's what I was expecting. Where did this sudden tolerance for boys come from?" I asked.

He sighed. "Ella, I am truly sorry for not trusting your judgment. Observing you two tonight was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. He is a very gentle boy that will grow to be a good man and I hope that you two will be together for quite some time. I realized tonight how lucky we both are for you to have found a boy like that. I guess I should have put more faith in your ability to make the right decisions. All the hard experiences in your life must have taught you that. I'll try to keep that in mind for the future."

I looked at him, shocked. That may have been the most powerful thing that someone had ever said to me! I threw myself into his arms and held back the sobs that threatened to escape. I wasn't sad, I was ecstatic! Dad thought that I had done something right! He was proud of me! When I finally got myself together, I asked him a question.

"Dad, what was your true problem with boys?" I asked.

Confusion crossed his face. "What do you mean? I told you earlier."

I smiled. "Dad, we both know that's not the biggest reason, if that was reason at all."

I had finally gotten through to the truth. His face broke into an embarrassed smile.

"Caught me. The true reason is, our family has always been the only thing you've ever needed. As you got older, you started growing away from us. I've always been the only man you've needed – along with your brothers – and I'd hate to see that end. I've told you this before, but I'm afraid of losing you. I've always been all the support you needed, but now you want someone your age, I get that. Just promise me one thing; promise me that you won't _ever_ try to replace my support for another man's and forget about me," he said.

At that point, I couldn't keep back the sobs anymore. I was sobbing out of control into my father's chest. That was one of the saddest things I've ever heard. I didn't want Dad to be sad for unnecessary reasons.

"You'll always be my Daddy, no one could ever replace you," I cried.

"That's all I'll ever ask for," he said.

We cuddled for quite some time, comforting each other with our presence. It made me feel like a little girl, but that was all right. Sometimes a girl just needs her daddy.

"There is one matter that we do need to discuss," Dad said after a long moment of silence.

"Which would be . . . ?" I prompted.

He sighed. "Let's go get comfortable on the couch."

Once we were settled, Dad started our discussion.

"Honey, I said I was fine with you hanging out with Dylan – which I still am – but there are some things I need you to understand," he began.

"Okaaaayyyyy . . ." I said. I was so confused.

He sighed. "Sweetheart, it is perfectly acceptable for you to have a boyfriend through your school years and –"

"Just get to the point Dad," I interrupted. "And forget the sugarcoating."

"The point is that you are too young to be physically involved with men and –"

I didn't let him finish his statement.

"Whoa, whoa, no! Slow down! We are **NOT **having this conversation. I haven't even thought about that till now so you don't have to worry," I said.

"Ella, men want one thing, and that's sex. I have every right in the world to worry. And as a father, talking to you about this is one of my responsibilities," he said.

"I can't believe that you're making me say this out loud but, I am a . . . virgin . . . and I have no current plans to change that status," I said sharply. God that was hard to spit out.

"But it will not always be that way. This is a conversation that we need to –"

"No, NO, **NO! **We absolutely do **NOT** need to have this conversation. This hasn't even occurred to me so you probably shouldn't get me started. I have a pretty good idea of that whole thing because of my past, and I don't think I ever want to feel that pain again," I said.

This seemed to appease him. He relaxed a little and said, "Good, but just promise me one thing. Should you change your mind fifteen years from now, please get protection first."

"Dad, I can take care of myself," I said firmly.

He made no comment. I turned to leave and almost made it out the door when he spoke up again.

"Ella, there's something I need to make clear to you before you go. Something you said earlier bothers me. Well, not what you said exactly, but what you think about something," he said.

I sighed. "Go on."

"I just want you to know that, when done at the right time with the right person, sex can be a beautiful thing. You're showing your partner that you trust them and love them to the fullest. When it's done that way, it doesn't hurt. I just don't want your past to scare you away from experiences that everyone should have," he said.

"Thanks Dad, you've certainly given me a lot to think about. When the time comes, that is. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get the Hell out of here before I die of embarrassment!" I said and ran out the door.

I just couldn't get out of there fast enough.

It was almost eleven-thirty, but I walked in the direction of the front door with the intent of going outside for a long walk. I needed time to think and clear my head. Dad shouldn't mind; there was no way that I'd be able to sleep anyway. I only got to the bottom of the stairs when my family emerged from the forest. They were running and nearly skidded to a stop when they saw me.

"Ella! What are you doing outside? It's late!" Mom exclaimed.

"Hello to you too!" I said.

She smiled and walked up to me, wrapping her arms around me.

"I missed you," she said.

"God I'm so glad you're home! You won't _**believe**_ what Dad tried to talk to me about," I said.

"Oh we already know," Rosalie said deviously.

"How?" I asked.

No one moved.

Then it dawned on me.

"Alice!" I exclaimed.

"I'm sorry! I couldn't help it!" she said.

I shook my head but let it go.

"Well at least he can't talk about it anymore," Edward said.

We went inside I told them about Dylan. There was no use keeping it a secret anymore. Alice hadn't seen it in a vision, so that was the only reason they didn't know. How Alice's visions worked with me was strange. Some things she saw and others she didn't, there was no exact pattern. The only people who weren't thrilled about it were my brothers, but it wasn't like they had any say in it. Their reaction wasn't as bad as Dad's, but it was still annoying. When would people stop worrying about me? Oh, right. _**NEVER.**_

After talking to them, I went upstairs to get ready for bed. Today had really sucked, at first. It got better once I had some support. I knew that I usually put on a show and said that I didn't need them, but, truthfully, I did. I wouldn't be able to survive if I didn't have my family. They give me so much, that I could never actually return the gratitude. Someday, I would tell them how much I loved them. I closed my eyes and went right to sleep.

In the morning, I regretted staying up so late. I dragged as I got ready for school. The knowledge that I would see Dylan was the only thing that kept me moving. If not for him, I probably would've faked sickness today. I've gotten pretty good at it, and Dad falls for it easily. I almost fell asleep in the car on the way to school.

I met up with Jessica, Lauren, and Amanda. I told them all about my weekend and also apologized for using them to trick my parents. They said it was fine and that they didn't really care as long as it didn't affect them at all. It was tempting, but I swore to never use them like that again. It wasn't right to use my friends. The morning dragged because I didn't get a chance to talk to Dylan until lunch. Usually we ate with the crowd at the table in the cafeteria, but this time we decided that we wanted to be alone so we went and sat in a deserted hallway.

"How have you been?" Dylan asked.

"Okay," I said.

"So did you tell your family about me?" he asked nervously.

"Yeah, they're cool with it," I answered lamely.

"Good."

I sighed. "Dylan, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," he answered immediately.

"I need you to be totally honest with me," I said.

"I will."

"Have you ever thought about . . . sex?" I asked.

"No, not really. Why do you ask?"

"My dad had "The Talk" with me last night. He warned me about men, and I was wondering what your thoughts on the topic were," I explained.

"Well, like I said, I've never really given it much thought. I still don't understand why you're asking me," he said.

I had no choice, I had to tell him.

"Dylan, there's something you should know."

"What?" he asked curiously.

"Dylan, my life hasn't always been gumdrops and lollipops. I have a very, very dark past that I've never told anyone other than my family about. You have to swear not to tell anyone," I said.

"I am sworn to secrecy," he said.

I sighed. "Dylan, my biological father and mother gave me to my grandparents when I was two. All I remember is that they were alcoholics and drug addicts. My grandparents died when I was six. I was left alone to fend for myself up until I was eight, when I met this guy named Riley. He said that he would take care of me, but instead he abused and molested me. And one night, he _**raped**_ me. I ran away and found Carlisle at the hospital. He cared for me there and then offered to adopt me. Now here I am with a family."

"Whoa, I had no idea. How does this tie in with sex though?" he asked.

"Dylan, I just have to know that you won't try anything. A man has already ruined that part of my life and I can't have that happen again. I want to be able to grow up and have sex with a man, whether it's you or whoever I end up with. I want to be able to be a mom someday and I won't let you get in the way of that," I said.

"Ella, I've said it once and I will say it again. That thought has never crossed my mind and I will never hurt you," he vowed.

"Good, that's all I needed to hear."

The bell rang indicating that lunch period was over. We said our goodbyes and I headed off to my next class. Of course I had to see Bad Boy, and that sucked. It wasn't bothering me too much though. And besides, I wouldn't have to see him ever again after eighth grade ended.

The rest of the day passed quickly and I walked out to Mom's car. We had the usual "How was school today?" chat and arrived home. I did my homework since I didn't have that much and then it would be out of the way. I took Angel for a walk and texted my friends. It was a normal evening and I was able to go to sleep with no problems.

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**A/N: Sorry, it's not the best ending but I hope you liked the chapter anyway. Please review, favorite, and follow this story. I'll update as soon as possible. I have put my story Legacy on temporary hiatus so that I could focus solely on this story for a while. Oh, and one more thing. Don't forget to vote on my poll. Thanks for reading!**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: This chapter came pretty easily so I was able to update quickly. I hope that I can continue to update at this pace but if I can't, I will finish this story one way or another. Also a notice to my Legacy readers, the story will be off hiatus next Tuesday. Sorry for making you wait but I really couldn't update! I'll shut my mouth so that you can read Chapter 27.**

**Disclaimer: Have I ever published a book? No. Am I Stephanie Meyer? No. Therefore do I own Twilight? No! **

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**CHAPTER 27:**

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I sat in my study going through the mail. Since we had to be a somewhat inconspicuous family, we didn't get much. It was usually only bills and my paycheck; along with Alice and Rosalie's fashion magazine subscriptions. Today there was a fancy envelope made of thick paper. There was no return address. Curiously I opened the envelope which held fancy paper. I pulled it out and found that it was a letter written in elegant script.

My dear friend Carlisle,

It has been so long since I've had any communication with you or your family. I was getting so worried that I had to send a Guard member to check on you to see if you were all right. The report was that you were, but that you had gained a family member. A **human** family member. You know very well that humans are **NOT** allowed to know about us. It is very obvious that you have been hiding this from me, but I do not know why. Surely you know that it is nearly impossible to keep things from me. Do you fear me, Dear Friend? Back to the matter at hand, I cannot let this go. You must bring the girl to me or I will come to you. As of now I do not have any intention of harming her. You have seven days to arrive, so don't push it. Also do not bring anyone but yourself and the girl. I promise that you will return safely. See you soon.

Sincerely,

Aro

I felt myself get whiter. I didn't have a good feeling about this. Aro obviously wasn't happy with me. He said that _**I**_ would return safely, but there was no guarantee Ella would. I didn't have an option; I had to take Ella to Volterra, alone. And I had to do it soon.

I robotically stood up from my desk and left my study. I walked down the stairs and found the family gathered in the living room. Edward must have read my mind. I wasn't able to speak, so I just turned the letter around to show them. Their faces all had the same mask of worry and fright when they read it. Esme's was almost too hard to look at. Finally, I found my voice.

"Alice, can you see any sort of outcome?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Sorry Daddy."

"That's all right Sweetie," I said weakly.

"So when do you plan on leaving?" Emmett asked.

I sighed. "I can't have this dagger hanging over my head any longer. I'm going to wake Ella up and we are leaving tonight. Ella will figure that something is up anyway. I can't just tell her and expect her to cope."

"What if it means ending her life that much sooner?" Rosalie asked.

"Not helping Rosalie," Edward growled.

I couldn't deal with this right now.

"Don't fight," I said and went upstairs into Ella's room.

"Ella, Ella, wake up Sweetheart."

"Mmmmmmhhhhhhhhh," she groaned.

"I'm sorry, but you have to get up. There is something very important we have to talk about," I said solemnly.

"Can't it wait?" she mumbled.

I smiled sadly. "I'm afraid not. On the bright side, you don't have to go to school tomorrow. Or at all this week."

This alerted her. She sat right up. "I'm listening."

I reached over and turned on her lamp. I didn't know how to explain, so I just gave her the letter. After she read it, she looked up at me with fearful eyes.

"They know?" she squeaked.

"Yes. I promise that you will come home though. It says so in the letter," I lied.

She caught me. "No it doesn't. It says that _you_ will return safely, not me."

"All we can do is try," I said.

"Do we have to leave now?" she asked.

I nodded. "Get packed."

I watched as she moved around her room, throwing stuff in her suitcase. Despite how tired she was, she didn't forget anything. While Esme got her something to eat, I went online to find plane tickets to Italy. I found a flight that left at two this morning. It was midnight. I grabbed our suitcases and went downstairs to the kitchen.

"We have to go."

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was beyond scared. I didn't want to go to Volterra, let alone meet Aro. It would be so easy for them to kill me, and that was likely to happen. It was impossible to put one foot in front of the other because of the possibility that I would die in less the twenty-four hours.

As we sped toward the airport, Dad told me the flight plan. It was a four and a half hour flight to Manhattan and an hour layover, and then a seven hour flight to Florence. That was followed by an hour drive to Volterra. That meant I had an estimated fifteen hours left to live.

We arrived at the airport and went through security. We made it to the gate ten minutes before boarding time. We sat down glad to have a moment to catch our breath.

"Daddy, I don't want to fly," I said.

"You don't want to fly or do you just not want to fly to Italy?" he asked.

I thought about it. "A little of both, I guess. I don't like flying in general but I **REALLY** don't want to fly to Italy."

"We'll have some time to talk about it when we get there," Dad said.

It was time to board. Our seats were first-class, just like when we went to Hawaii. I had always wanted to go back, but now I may never get that chance.

That made me think about all the things I would never get to do, the places I'd never get to see, and the life I'd never get to live. I basically hadn't lived the first eight years of my life. I've only had three full years to live. I was going on four, but that was apparently going to be cut short. I haven't been able to go skydiving, I've never been to Los Angeles, and I've never been able to have a family. I'll never get to do any of those things.

The rest of the plane ride consisted of those kinds of thoughts. Neither Dad or I said a word. I tried to sleep, but it was useless. I was wide-awake when we landed in Manhattan, New York. The city looked fun and interesting. It was blooming with life, but I soon wouldn't be. After I used the bathroom, we headed straight to the gate. Dad tried to get me to eat, but I simply wasn't hungry. My stomach hurt so I didn't feel like eating. There weren't very many people at the gate yet, so Dad had a chance to talk to me.

"Ella, I know that you're very scared, and I am too, but you've got to be hopeful. I know that you're probably expecting to be killed, but I will do my damnedest to get you out alive. All we can do now is take it one minute at a time. No matter what happens, you will be okay," he said.

I didn't really see how that was possible, but I didn't comment. I might die, but I wasn't going to accept it. Even though I'd only last a second, I was going to fight them if they tried to kill me. I remembered the saying "Good always overpowers evil" and hoped that, at least in this case, it was true.

The hour flew by and we were boarding the plane to Florence. I wasn't looking forward to the seven hour flight, but then again I wasn't looking forward to any of the hours coming in my life. Part of me hoped the plane would crash and that I would die, but another part of me thought I had a chance to live through this. I hoped the second part was right.

In attempt to get myself in a better, more positive mood, I thought about all the good things in my life. Being adopted into my family, getting my dog Angel, making friends, going to Hawaii, and meeting Dylan. Wait, Dylan . . . oh no. If I died, he would be heartbroken. I might never see my wonderful boyfriend ever again!

This made me burst into tears.

"Ella! What's wrong?" Dad asked worriedly.

"Dyl-Dylan," I sobbed.

Dad sighed. "I know Sweetheart. I know it hurts. Like I said, it will all be o –"

"No it will not be okay! I may never see him again!" I screamed.

People were starting to look at us. Attention was the last thing I wanted right now. Dad didn't seem to know what to say, so he just let me cry in peace. I eventually cried myself to sleep, which was nice. I needed to escape reality for a while.

"Ella, we're here," Dad said. I instantly became aware. He helped me off the plane since I was still klutzy with sleep. He led me out to a taxi and we got inside.

"Volterra," he told the driver.

I blankly stared out the window the entire ride. I had no idea what time it was, but the sun was coming up from the east. After about forty-five minutes, a castle came into view. There was a large area enclosed with a wall with the giant castle in the middle. It was made of sand-colored brick.

"The entire city of Volterra is enclosed within the walls," Dad said.

The driver dropped us off at the gate. Dad handed me my luggage and then took my hand. We started for a shadowy tunnel. In the middle of it was a large drain. Dad removed the cover and dropped down inside, leaving his suitcase above. I walked up to the edge and called down to him.

"Dad?"

"Drop me my luggage, and then yours," he instructed.

I was confused, but I followed his directions. After I dropped my suitcase down, I had a feeling that I knew what was coming.

"Dad is there another way? I really don't want to fall into a pit of darkness," I said.

He chuckled. "I know Honey, but I will catch you.

"Dad . . ." I whined.

"Sweetheart, it's okay. Don't you trust me?" he asked.

"Yes but –"

"Then what are you waiting for?"

I sighed and sat on the edge of the grate and swung my legs inside.

"I can see your cute little feetsies," Dad said.

"Shut up," I said and slipped into the hole.

"**AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" **I screamed as I fell.

I only fell for about three seconds when Dad's stone arms caught me.

"**AAAAAAAHHHHHHH – **oh," I said when he caught me.

He chuckled as he set me on my feet.

"See I told you," he said.

"It would've been no different if I had landed on the stone floor," I said.

He chuckled and ruffled my hair. He led me through the pitch-black tunnel. We walked for about ten minutes before coming to a door. Dad opened it to reveal light. It led into an office-like hallway. We came to some sort of lounge area with a desk which a woman was sitting at. The surprising fact was that she was every bit as human as I was. She greeted us in a foreign language and we continued down another hallway. Dad showed me to the ladies room.

"Here, why don't you freshen up?" he suggested and handed me my luggage.

I graciously accepted the offer and went inside. I put on a new outfit, brushed my teeth, and fixed my hair and makeup. When I came out we continued our journey. At the end of the hallway was a stone staircase. I sighed and began the descent. When we got to the bottom, there were three sets of doors; a grand wooden one, a fancy gold one, and another identical wooden one. I expected to go through the fancy gold doors, but instead we went through the doors on the right. They opened up into a stone room that was lit by torches. Dad didn't move like he was waiting for something. Then all of the sudden two men in dusky black cloaks appeared.

"Carlisle!" the brawny one who reminded me of Emmett greeted.

"Felix, Demetri," Dad greeted stiffly.

"Aro's expecting you," Demetri said.

We walked out the doors and in the fancy gold ones. They opened up into a grand turret. It was made out of colored stone and had no furniture except for three thrones on a raised altar. They were occupied by three vampires. The one on the left looked the oldest and had long, wavy brown hair. The one on the right had blonde hair and seemed to be the youngest. The one in the middle, who I assumed to be Aro, had long black hair. They all had the same papery skin and clouded red eyes.

"Carlisle!" Aro exclaimed cheerfully, walking quickly toward us.

Dad nodded. "Aro."

"And who might you be?" he asked, bending forward slightly.

"Ella," I whispered weakly. I was so afraid.

"Welcome!" he said, flashing a smile that I immediately didn't trust.

"These are my brothers Marcus and Caius," he introduced, gesturing to each of them. "And I see that you have already met Felix and Demetri. These are two more of my guards, Jane and Alec."

I felt my knees weaken. Of course, in my place of death, I would have to meet someone named Alec.

The creepy thing was that Bad Boy Alec and Vampire Alec looked really similar, complete with the hair color and dark clothes. Though this one was obviously older.

"Perhaps we should discuss the matter that you're here to testify," Aro said.

I snorted. "What is this? Vampire Court?"

The room was silent and everybody was staring at me.

I gulped and stepped closer to Dad. If I wasn't dead yet, I sure was now. I had just let my smart mouth get the better of me in front of the most powerful vampire in the world.

To my extreme relief, Aro chuckled. "Precisely."

I looked to Dad and he gave me the "You'd-better-watch-your-mouth-or-else" look. I looked down, embarrassed. Way to go Ella.

"Anyway, we are here to discuss the violation of the first law: Keep our existence a secret," Aro said.

"Carlisle has broken that law by taking in this human girl four years ago and hiding her from our knowledge. Is there anything you have to add to that statement?" Aro asked Dad.

"No," he answered.

"We cannot let this matter go without coming up with a solution. The question is, what is that solution?" Aro asked.

"Let them go, Aro. She is just a child," Marcus said.

"Exactly, she is just a child. She's not mature enough to understand the importance of our secret. Who says she won't go off and tell her friends? Who says she won't upset the peace that we've worked so long and hard for? She must be destroyed, right after her father of course," Caius said, looking at me with an evil smirk.

"I would never tell anybody anything," I said.

Aro turned to me. "Darling, I'd appreciate it if you would only speak when spoken to or when granted permission," he said sweetly. "Now –"

"I think that I should be able to speak whenever I want," I cut in. "It is _**my **_death, after all."

Aro gave me a pointed look. "This is _**my**_ court."

"Bada bing!" I said.

I heard snickering. I looked over my shoulder to see Felix covering his mouth with his hand.

"Felix! Quit snickering like an oaf!" Aro reprimanded.

Now we were both snickering.

"Child, could you please be smart and keep your mouth shut?" Aro asked. He was getting irritated.

"Sure, I'll be as smart as an ass!" I said.

This set off a new round of snickering and even a smile from Demetri.

**"SILENCE!"** Caius yelled.

The room suddenly became silent and serious.

"Thank you, now back to debriefing –"

Being the immature idiot that I am, debriefing came with an image of someone's underwear getting ripped off of them. I suddenly had a laugh attack that would've had me on the floor if Dad wasn't holding me up.

"Ella, would you care to tell everyone what is so funny?" Aro snapped.

"Don't lose your tighty-whities," I managed to choke out before sliding to the floor.

Now all four Guard members were laughing and Dad was close to breaking down, but he hadn't cracked yet. Caius, however, was the opposite of amused. He stormed over to me and bent down menacingly.

**"ONE** **MORE AND I WILL NOT HESITATE TO TAKE YOU OVER MY KNEE!"** he yelled in my face.

I turned around and stuck out my butt.

"Spank me Baby," I said sexily.

This resulted in everyone, except for the three leaders, rolling on the floor and clutching their stomachs. Caius gave me a murderous glare and sat back down in his throne. Aro sighed exasperatedly and waited for the room to quiet down. Marcus showed no emotion through all of this. He was the only vampire who looked truly . . . dead. The room quieted down after five more minutes and Aro attempted to continue. He gave me a final warning glance before starting.

"Now we must make the final decision. Should the girl be allowed to live with our secret at risk? Or should we just end her life to protect our secret?" Aro asked.

The room turned into seriousness.

"Brother?" Aro asked, turning to Marcus.

"Aro, let the child live. She loves her family too much to ever reveal them. They are friends, Aro. They want the secret protected as much as we do," Marcus said.

Aro turned to Caius and raised his eyebrows.

"Absolutely not. She is a menace to the community," he hissed.

"I must make the final decision," Aro said.

Oh yeah, like he didn't plan it to work out that way.

He stared at me for a minute. I gave him a glare that seemed to make him uncomfortable. He ghosted forward and grabbed Dad's hand, making me let go. I was suddenly very scared until Felix came to my side and nudged my shoulder. I looked back at him and he gave me the "I've got your back" smile.

Aro dropped Dad's hand and I immediately grabbed it. Dad looked down and gave me a comforting look. I felt like crying, I just wanted to go home.

"May I?" Aro asked, holding out his hand.

I shook my head. "It won't work."

He raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I'm immune to vampire powers. Edward can't read my mind," I told him.

He looked intrigued. "May I try? I promise not to hurt you."

I looked back at Dad and he nodded encouragingly.

I raised my shaking hand and placed it in his. Even in his gentle grasp, my hand still managed to shake. I felt tears coming into my eyes. I wanted to get out of here.

"I see nothing," Aro said releasing my hand.

I went back into Dad's embrace. I let only a few tears escape into his chest before turning back around. I received sympathetic looks from all four Guard members. A reassuring pat from Felix was the only thing that kept me from breaking down.

"I wonder if you are immune to _all_ powers or if you are immune to just some. Jane, be a dear and demonstrate your talent," Aro said.

Oh no.

"Master, I don't really feel comfortable –" she began.

"Do you want to stay a part of the Volturi or not?" Aro asked.

Jane winced and came to stand ten feet in front of me. I knew what she could do and I didn't want her to do it. There was a slight chance that I wasn't immune to it but I certainly didn't want to find out.

I dove for the large gold doors and pulled it open without much difficulty. I sprinted down the hallway knowing that I didn't have a prayer of escaping.

"Catch her!" a voice screamed.

That was the last thing I heard before I passed out, my head hitting the stone floor.

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**A/N: I know, I'm the meanest person in the world to leave you hanging in an intense part. I promise another chapter soon though! Please review and tell me what you think. Also vote on my poll. Thanks for reading!**


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: I honestly have no idea how I got the idea for the beginning of this chapter. It just kinda . . . happened, LOL. I hope you like it!**

**Disclaimer: I'm really getting tired of these. I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT!**

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**CHAPTER 28:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"Ella . . . Ella . . . Sweetheart can you hear me?" asked the worried voice of my father.

I became aware of fingers pressed into my wrist, fingers stroking my hair, and fingers caressing my cheek. I squeezed my eyes shut and fluttered them open to find three concerned faces staring at me. I recognized them as Dad, Felix, and Alec.

"Oh Ella," Dad breathed.

I attempted to sit up but Dad pushed me back down onto the floor.

"Does your head hurt?" he asked.

"No," I answered honestly.

He allowed me to slowly sit up. I was a little dizzy but Felix supported my back so I was able to stay upright. Alec continued caressing my cheek which helped me relax. Dad was still checking my head for bruises and lumps, but he found none. They continued to comfort me as I struggled to slow my rapidly beating heart. It was almost back to normal pace when Marcus appeared, making it pick up again.

"May I speak with you alone for a few minutes?" he asked, his voice indicating nothing.

I looked at Dad for permission, and he nodded his head. I think he liked Marcus, for some reason. Maybe it had something to do with when he was a part of the Volturi. But it was more likely because Marcus was on our side.

"Okay," I croaked.

Dad helped me up and gave me a loving smile before going back into the turret with Felix and Alec. Marcus held the wooden doors on the right open for me. I went through obediently and stopped once I got inside. We walked down a long hallway with only one door at the end, which I assumed that was where we were going. I was still a little unsteady, but I was managing to stay on my feet. I probably wasn't supposed to notice, but Marcus kept one hand barely an inch away from my back. It reminded me of the way Dad sometimes walks with me.

We reached the end of the hallway and Marcus opened the door into a dimly lit room. The walls were lined with books and the only pieces of furniture were a huge wooden desk and a majestic wooden chair. Marcus closed the door behind him and sat down in the chair. I stayed by the door, not sure what to do.

"Come here," he commanded, pointing to his right side. He turned his chair as I walked up to him. He put his hand on my shoulder and gently pushed me to my knees. If I put my arms straight out, they would be in his lap. He grabbed both of my hands and leaned forward so that his face was slightly above mine. The position made it almost impossible to lose eye contact.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

I nodded. "I was fine after I left that horrible room."

"Why is it horrible?" he asked.

"Because," I started to sob. "Bad things could happen in there and I was about to get hurt. If I go back in there, I may never see my family again!"

I was full out sobbing. Marcus lifted me up off the ground and sat me in his lap. I looked down and covered my face, hoping to cover up my cowardliness. I was only in that position for a few seconds when my arms were pulled away and a cold finger forced my chin up. His expression was unreadable.

"What frightens you so?" he asked, dabbing at my eyes with a soft handkerchief.

"Everything. Caius, Jane, Aro's decision, my death . . . that kind of thing. I just want to go home, see my family, my boyfriend . . ." I trailed off. There were just so many things.

"You think that we will kill you," he stated simply. It wasn't a question.

"Why wouldn't you?" I asked.

He didn't answer.

"Marcus, how do I survive this?" I asked.

"We have to take it one step at a time. The first being letting Aro go through his antics. Let him say what he wants, and just forget about it. He turns everything into such drama that it's no wonder you're traumatized. You're a new member of this world, and he's trying to frighten you into thinking he's king. Though he'll never admit it, he _wants_ people to be afraid of him so they'll obey the laws. Just endure his little show, and I promise that you'll leave unharmed," he said.

His words relaxed me. He reminded me so much of Dad when I was upset. No matter the situation, he could always make me feel better. Marcus did that almost as well as Dad did. I hadn't realized that Dad's comforting personality was a learned behavior.

"How can you do this? Aren't most vampires cold-hearted monsters?" I asked in regards to his comforting discussion with me.

The sides of his mouth twitched. "Let's just say I have experience in this area from my human years."

"You have a daughter?" I asked, astonished. He just didn't strike me as one to have kids.

"I had nine daughters," he said. I didn't miss the emphasis on _"had"_.

I was about to ask when someone knocked on the door. Demetri poked his head in.

"Aro would like to continue," he said.

"Are you ready?" Marcus asked me.

I nodded and stood up. I followed Demetri out the door but Marcus didn't move.

"Tell Aro I'll be there in a minute," he told Demetri.

Demetri nodded once before urging me out the door. He kept one hand on my shoulder as he steered me through the halls. Apparently my attempt to escape made everyone feel the need to hold onto me. As if I had a chance of escaping.

"What was that?" Demetri asked.

"What was what?"

"The whole running away thing. You know that would never work, right?" he asked.

I stopped walking and turned around to face him. "I'm not stupid. I know that it's useless running from vampires, but I panicked. It's a normal human reaction, okay? Get over it."

"Don't forget that I'm a tracker that can find you in a matter of seconds," he said.

I was getting really irritated with him. "Are you trying to impress me with your stupid ability?" I snapped.

He put his hands up in defense. "I'm just saying."

"You know, I used to think that being a total showoff brat was an Edward thing, but now it's turning out to be a vampire thing," I said.

"Oh, lighten up. I'm just messing with you. If I get you in a better mood, there's a less chance that you will decide to go for a quick run during the meeting," he smirked.

"Well you're just pissing me off. I'd be in a better mood if you just shut the Hell up!" I yelled.

"Whatever floats your boat. Now march," he commanded, giving me a small shove to get me moving again.

We walked toward the turret in silence. I couldn't believe this guy. He was rude and obnoxious and full of himself.

"I have to say, I very much enjoyed the little display you put on. That's about as exciting as things get around here," he said.

"I guess it's not every day that a twelve-year-old human girl is a smartass toward the Head Honcho of the vampire world," I said.

"Nope."

We arrived at The Doors of Doom. He held the door open and gestured for me to enter.

"Ladies first," he said with a smile.

I snorted but walked through to see the same setting as before. Well, it was a little different. Now there were a few more Guard members in the room. Aro came straight over to me.

"Are you feeling better?" he asked kindly.

"Oh yes, I'm absolutely dandy!" I said sarcastically.

"Wonderful!" he said, returning the sarcasm. I hate when people do that.

I looked around the room for Dad, but I didn't see him. Then again, Marcus wasn't here yet so they might be talking or something. That assumption went away when Marcus walked into the room alone. He resumed his position in the throne and Aro clapped his hands together.

"All right! Let's continue shall we?"

"Wait. Where's Dad?" I asked.

"He had to step out for a while. He'll be back soon," Aro said like it was nothing.

I was already in a sour mood and I didn't want to play games.

"Well if he had to step out, then I do too. Later peeps," I said and headed for the door.

Before I could take two steps, Demetri grabbed me by the arm. I bit down on his hand, which was like biting into a frozen cookie. Except it tasted like skin. Yuck.

"Let go of me you idiot," I said, struggling to free myself.

"Sorry Sweets, no can do," he said.

I was way beyond my last straw. Knowing it would most likely be useless; I whipped around and kneed him hard in the groin. Apparently vampires did have a vulnerable spot because he went down like a lead balloon. Alec made a move to grab me, but I lifted my knee to show him that I would do the exact same thing to him as I did to Demetri if he tried to grab me. He backed away and Jane grabbed me, shoving my arms behind my back up to my shoulder blade.

"Ouch," I hissed. It took everything I had not to fight her. I wasn't sure that I wanted to mess with Jane.

At least I knew that I could protect myself from every guy in this room.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I hated not being able to be in that room with my daughter. She was completely defenseless and there was nothing I could do about it. That was the worst feeling a father could have. Aro and his dumb tests.

"Well if he had to step out, then I do too. Later peeps," I heard her say.

_That's my girl_, I thought.

I listened to the rest of the conversation and it sounded like some pretty interesting things were happening in there. My girl sounded fearless, which I loved. Whatever Marcus had said to her had given her this courage. I would be forever grateful. He was our only hope of getting out of here alive.

Every time Aro tried to begin the meeting, Ella interrupted it either with a snide comment or a coughing fit. It actually came down to singing the alphabet twenty-six times in a row before he finally gave in and let me back into the turret. I gave her a quick hug before turning my attention to Aro.

"I still am unsure of my decision," he said.

"This could only take five more years," Ella muttered.

Aro whipped around and looked at her. I could tell he was at his breaking point.

"For the hundredth time Child, please be quiet!" he said exasperatedly.

"No," she said back.

I decided that it was time to step in. "May I have a word with my daughter?" I asked Aro.

He nodded. "Please do."

I started for the door. He motioned for Felix and Demetri to follow us. Once outside, I put Ella's back against the stone wall and stood in front of her, arms crossed.

"Ella, I know that you are in a bad mood but I need you to cooperate. I let you have your fun, but now it needs to stop. We aren't getting anywhere and Aro is getting more irritated with you by the second. You're making this take much longer than it needs to so I suggest you shape up," I said sternly.

"But I don't wanna be here anymore. I just wanna go home," she whined.

"What did Marcus tell you?" I asked, hoping she would give me the answer I was looking for.

She thought for a moment. "He said to let Aro go through his antics and just ignore it."

I nodded. "Exactly. Can you do that?"

She nodded. "Yes Daddy, I'm sorry."

"It's all right. Just be good now, okay?"

She nodded again and we went back into the room, Felix and Demetri right behind us. Ella now stayed close to my side with her head down.

"If only there was a way to be sure that you wouldn't expose us," Aro sighed, looking at my daughter longingly.

She followed my directions and stayed silent. I knew that today was stressful for her, and I didn't blame her one bit for acting out. My poor little girl had been through so much today, she had to be exhausted. When we were done here, I would take her to a nice restaurant in Florence and find a hotel to stay the night in. There was no way that she would be able to make the trip back home without a healthy amount of sleep.

"I have made my decision," Aro announced, getting everyone's attention.

"Though it is against better judgment, I have decided to let you both go and carry on with your life. You have no fear of us for this. I truly believe that Ella will not expose her family. Thank you for giving me your time and I do hope to see you again under better circumstances. You are free to go, my friends," he said.

With that I yanked Ella up into my arms and walked quickly out the door and into the lobby. Once I had our suitcases I sprinted through the halls and tunnels until I made it outside. It was about eight o'clock, so it wasn't too dark yet but I didn't have to worry about the sun. I walked through the gate to get out of the city and hailed a cab. I threw the baggage in the trunk and got into the backseat with Ella. She was shaking and really close to breaking down.

"Just a little while longer," I said comfortingly.

I decided that going out for dinner right now wouldn't be a good idea because of how Ella was feeling so I told the driver to take us to the hotel I had picked out. It wasn't anything special, but it would give Ella a safe place to rest and that was the important thing.

As soon as I got the room key and we were out of public eye, Ella let a few tears escape. Once we got in the elevator, she started sobbing.

"We'll talk about it in a second. Just hang in there," I told her.

The second the door was shut, Ella let out a full-blown panic attack. She was hyperventilating and her sobs sounded like choking. I guided her to the bed and sat down next to her. She threw her arms around me and locked her fingers in a death grip against the back of my neck. She buried her face in my chest and screamed. I held her tightly to me, just comforted by the fact that we were both alive. I heard her struggling to keep herself quiet, which was absolutely unreasonable at a time like this.

"Just let it out, Sweetheart. Daddy's here," I comforted her.

She screamed again. I wanted to tear Aro apart for doing this to my daughter. He had known his decision from the second we walked in the door but he had to complicate it and traumatize Ella. I was sick and tired of his antics. He had been this way when I met him, most likely before I was born, and probably would continue to be that way forever. He got sick joy out of it.

"I never want to come to Italy again!" Ella cried once she had calmed down enough to speak.

"I know, I feel that way too," I told her. It was true; no one in our family would ever be able to take a vacation in Italy.

"I don't even want to ever come to Europe again!" she cried.

Now that was getting to be ridiculous.

"Honey, there's so much more to Europe than what you've seen so far. It's a big continent; you can't judge it after seeing only a small part of it that's not even human. I think I know where our next family vacation will be," I said with a smile.

We spent some time talking about the day's events when she just fell asleep. I wasn't too happy that she hadn't eaten for so long, but apparently that wasn't her body's biggest priority right now. Once I was sure that she was sound asleep, I got out of the bed and grabbed my cellphone. I walked into the main room to call Esme. I was surprised that I didn't have any missed calls. I dialed her number and she picked up during the first ring.

"Carlisle! I've been waiting for you to call me. What happened?" she asked.

"Put it on speaker so that I don't have to explain seven times," I told her.

I told them every single detail of our encounter with the Volturi. They laughed at Ella's smart-alecky comments and the girls were all sobbing by the end of it and the boys were mad. Alice asked when we would be coming home and I told her that it would be up to Ella. She had done so well today, she deserved a reward. I wanted to take her on vacation to any place of her choice but if she wanted to go home tomorrow, I would take her home.

"Well, I guess that's all there is to say. I'll call you tomorrow," I said.

"Bye," they chorused.

I hung up and went back into the bedroom to sit by Ella's side and wait out the night.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up feeling like I had just woken up from the worst nightmare. Except the nightmare had been reality and I'd had a restful sleep. Just as I sat up, Dad walked in with a plate of food.

"Eat," he commanded.

I took a bite of the omelet without question. Now that I had started eating, I became hungry. Dad sat on the edge of the bed and it looked like something was on his mind. I knew that look; he wanted to ask me something.

"What?" I asked.

He looked at me. "You always know."

I waited expectantly.

"I know that you want to drop the subject and forget about it, but I just have to say, you coped very well yesterday, and I want to reward you. I was thinking that we could go on a short vacation wherever you want unless you just want to go home," he said.

I thought about it, coming up empty.

"Where would we go?" I asked. "I can't think of anything."

Dad thought for a minute.

"You know what? A few weeks ago I was talking with some good friends of mine and you somehow came up. They want to meet you so if you want, we could go see them," he said.

"Who is "They" and where?" I asked.

"Their names are Siobhan, Liam, and Maggie. They live in Ireland," he said.

I perked up. I was seventy percent Irish and Ireland had always intrigued me.

"I want to go there," I said.

Dad nodded. "Ireland it is then."

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**A/N: So now we're off to Ireland! There is a reason that I picked the Irish Coven but I can't tell you yet. Please review this chapter and vote on my poll. Thanks for reading!**


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: I forgot to say this last time, but I would like to thank those who reviewed Chapters 27 and 28. I would also like to thank Linneagb for her ideas for this story. I will not tell you what they are, and I hope she doesn't either. Anyway, here is Chapter 29.**

**Disclaimer: So the other day I called up Stephanie Meyer and asked if I could own Twilight and she said yeah, as soon as the economy is based on chocolate and blue becomes a natural hair color, so in other words I won't be owning Twilight anytime soon. **

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**CHAPTER 29:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

We left for the airport at noon. Dad's friends lived in Dublin, Ireland so it would be a two and a half hour flight. I could handle that. I really hated flying, but two and a half hours was nothing compared to going from Seattle to Hawaii. I didn't even want to know how long it would take to get home. If it isn't obvious, I am really afraid of heights.

Dad closed the trunk of the cab and got in. It was a short ride to the airport. We had only about fifteen minutes of waiting before we could get on the plane. We got regular seats this time since it would be a shorter flight. The plane was crowded and loud. I had a hard time talking to Dad while everyone was getting seated.

"How long is the flight home?" I asked.

"A little over sixteen hours," he said.

I groaned and threw my head back. I would never survive.

Dad smiled. "It will be okay."

I held his hand the entire flight to Ireland. We had to wait a while in baggage claim, but we eventually made it outside. Ireland was beautiful, so green. Dad and I walked into a thick forest where he picked me up and ran through the forest. It wasn't long before we came to a clearing. Dad set me on my feet and we walked up to an old white farm house. The screen door flew open and a streak of red hair and white skin ran out and leaped into Dad's arms. The girl was about my size and had curly red hair.

"Carlisle!" she cried.

"Hello, dearest Maggie," he said.

Another woman stepped out the door. "Carlisle! It's nice to see you. What brings you here?" she asked in a heavy Irish accent.

Dad smiled. "Well, when we talked a few weeks ago, you wanted to meet my newest daughter. We were in the area, so here we are."

The woman turned her attention to me. "Oh yes, Ella isn't it?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"I'm Siobhan, and this is my . . . daughter, Maggie," she introduced.

"Hey Ella!" she cheered with Alice-type enthusiasm.

The older, orange-haired woman leaned into the house.

"Liam! Come down here!" she called.

A few moments later, a man came outside. He took one look at me and said, "Is this the girl you've been talking about?"

"Yes it is. Ella, this is my mate Liam. Liam, this is Ella," Siobhan said.

"Hi," I said.

"You wanna see my room?" Maggie asked, bouncing over to me.

"Sure."

"C'mon!" she said, pulling my hand so that I followed her into the house.

We upstairs to a spotless white room. It was the shape of an octagon. All of the furniture was white except for the big, fuzzy pink chair by the desk. What surprised me was that she had a bed. She didn't sleep, obviously.

"Your room is so pretty," I said.

"Thanks," she smiled. "So why were you guys in the area?" she asked.

I swallowed. "We had to see the Volturi."

Her head snapped up. "The _Volturi_?"

I nodded. "Aro found out about me."

"That had to be scary," Maggie said.

"You have no idea."

"Actually, I do," she said.

I looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I encountered Aro when I was human too," she said.

"Really?" I asked, astonished.

"Yeah. Siobhan is my biological mother. She disappeared and was changed when I was three. Fifty-four years ago – when I was a fourteen-year-old human – she found me and told me what she was. She had already found a mate during the ten years that we were separated and had been looking for me. Liam had tried to discourage her from finding me, but she was determined to find me. Once she did, the three of us moved into this house. Liam didn't like me at all; he was having a hard time adjusting. Then the Volturi found out and the three of us were dragged to Italy. Aro said that the only way I would stay alive was if I was changed. My mother changed me right then and there. Getting literally dragged there had to be the scariest thing that's ever happened to me. I'm not sure if Liam has forgiven me for it yet," she said.

I frowned. "That's ridiculous, it wasn't your fault."

She shrugged. "That's Liam for you."

"Do you think of him as your father?" I asked.

"Not really. My biological dad left before I was born, so I don't know what having a father feels like. I don't know what I'm missing, and I'm okay with that. I'd rather not know about something great than know about it and not be able to have it, if you know what I mean. I don't think Liam could ever be a father figure to me," she said.

That made me really sad. I couldn't imagine my life now without Daddy. My past had been Hell, and he had got me out of it. I loved the love he gave me. I felt bad for Maggie that she hadn't ever gotten that experience.

"Girls? Could you come down here please?" Siobhan's voice called.

I sighed and looked at Maggie. "I probably have to go."

"Maybe, maybe not. Let's just go see what they want," she said, getting up.

I followed her downstairs and into a living room where Siobhan, Liam, and Dad were lounging. Dad grabbed me by my waist and pulled me into his lap. He kissed my forehead and tickled me a little. I noticed how Liam watched Dad's every move. Liam scooted a little bit away from Siobhan and patted the space for Maggie to wedge herself in-between them. He then covered Maggie's hand with his own and gave it a small rub. Maggie smiled happily. Liam had obviously heard our conversation.

"We need to get going," Dad said.

"No," I whined.

Dad smiled. "We'll come back."

"I don't want to be on a plane for sixteen hours," I whined again.

"Let's get it over with," Dad said.

The five of us stood up and walked outside.

"I'm so glad you were able to come," Maggie said.

"Me too," I said.

"We'll definitely come visit you sometime," Siobhan said with a smile.

Liam said nothing, as usual. Maggie and Siobhan hugged both me and Dad. Liam shook our hands. As soon as we were done with the farewell ritual, Dad and I raced off. Our flight for home left in two hours. By the time we got there, checked in, and went through security, we only had a half hour of waiting. I stood the entire time because I would do enough sitting during the flight.

"Flight 459 to Seattle, Washington is now boarding," a voice announced.

Dad and I got in line to board. We handed in our boarding passes and found our first-class seats. I was glad that Dad always let me have the window seat. As soon as the loud engine was turned on and the plane was in the air, I was able to talk to Dad about this trip's events.

"Dad, we don't ever have to go back to the Volturi, do we?" I asked.

"I don't think so, Sweetheart. We might get an occasional letter, but nothing more. You don't need to worry," he said.

"I won't ever be able to think about Italy without shaking in terror," I said.

"I know it feels that way, but I have a feeling that you'll get over it. Every person in our family is here to help with that. Did hearing Maggie's story help?" Dad asked.

"A little bit, but I was more shocked than anything," I said.

"And why was that?" he asked.

"Well, I mean, just the story itself is shocking, but I'm also wondering why Aro didn't insist that I become a vampire like he did Maggie," I said.

"I can't exactly tell you why, but I do have a theory. I used to be a member of the Volturi, so I have a little bit more power than the average vampire. Therefore Aro has a little bit more respect for me. He treasures his Guard members and acquaintances. He doesn't want to lose them, and I am both. Aro looks at life like a game of Chess; you pick your best moves to get the most power," Dad said.

"I don't understand this whole vampire rank thing," I said.

Dad chuckled. "I can't say that I do either."

It was quiet for a moment.

"What's the deal with Maggie and Liam's relationship?" I asked.

"Just what she said it was. He really didn't like Maggie as a human to begin with, and being dragged to Volterra didn't help either. He wants it to be just him and Siobhan," Dad said.

"That seems kind of selfish," I said.

"I think that too. I think he's starting to be able to tolerate her. You saw what he did earlier," Dad said.

"You guys heard our conversation?" I asked.

"Yes we did. And I think it benefited everyone," he said.

I nodded in agreement. I thought about Maggie's and mine conversation. Then I remembered something.

"I can't imagine my life now without you being my father," I said.

Dad smiled. "I heard that."

"It's true," I said.

"You have no idea how happy that makes me," he said.

"You're my hero," I told him.

"I wouldn't go that far."

"I would. If it weren't for you, I'd be six feet under right now. Or more likely a body hidden in the woods or floating in the Pacific Ocean," I said and Dad winced. "Riley would've found me and killed me, but probably not before abusing me more. I would have died from abuse. Even though I was nearly killed by vampires – twice – you stayed right by my side and fought the entire time. You could have just fed me to the rogue vampires or dropped me off in Italy or just killed me yourself, but you didn't. You risked your life for me both those times, and nothing screams hero more than that."

Dad was silent. No, scratch that, he was speechless.

"Cat got your tongue?" I asked with a smirk.

Dad looked at me, but said nothing.

"Ella one, Dad zero," I joked.

He didn't move, and I went back to looking out the window. Then suddenly, I was yanked up out of my seat. Dad put my legs over his shoulders and restrained them. Then he viciously tickled me.

"Stop! . . . Stop!" I begged in between laughs.

That continued for about five minutes when a flight attendant came by and told him to stop and put me back in my seat. Dad complied and shot her a look when she turned back around.

"Ha ha, you got yelled at," I teased.

He turned to look at me. "You want to be next?" he threatened.

"And that would be any different from usual because?" I asked.

He shook his head and muttered, "Unbelievable."

I giggled at took a sip of my Coke. This trip had started in calamity, but ended with lighthearted joking. With a smile on my face, I dosed off to sleep.

I woke up some time later and I was surprised to find that the plane was still high in the air. Dad usually had to wake me up toward the end of the flight. I guess it's different with international flying.

"How much time is left?" I asked.

Dad looked at his watch. "A little more than nine hours."

"Uuuuuuuuggggggggggggggggghhhhhhh," I groaned.

"You'll survive," he said.

"I don't know," I said.

"You have a spare set of clothes in your carryon, right? Why don't you go into the bathroom and freshen up?" he suggested.

I took his advice and went into the bathroom. I put on a new outfit and washed my face. I fixed my makeup and hair before going back to sit down. When I reached the seat, it started to get bumpy and I fell over. Luckily Dad caught me and helped me sit down. I didn't think anyone saw at first, but then I heard faint snickering. I blushed and put my seatbelt back on.

Five hundred million years later, the pilot announced descent.

"Finally!" I exclaimed.

As soon as the door opened, I was the first one out. I ran out and started down the escalator to baggage claim. I ran down it and looked up. I didn't even see Dad yet. I turned around and started walking when I spotted my entire family standing by the conveyor belt. Then I started running.

I slammed into Mom as hard as I could. I hugged everyone while we waited for my suitcase.

"Where's your father?" Mom demanded.

I looked back at the escalator, where Dad had just reached the bottom. He was walking painfully slow toward us, a smirk on his face. I guessed that it was for Mom.

"Get over here, you evil man!" Mom shouted.

Dad smirked and just slowed his pace even more. Mom couldn't resist it anymore; she ran over and jumped on him. Dad's hands captured her waist and they attacked each other with kisses. Dad walked forward without breaking their moment. They were kissing furiously. I was glad when Jasper's hand covered my eyes. I covered Alice's, Alice covered Rosalie's, Rosalie covered Emmett's, Emmett covered Edward's, and Edward covered Jasper's. Now that we were all shielded, the ferociousness of the kissing increased. If only we all had earplugs . . .

"OKAY! ENOUGH ALREADY! THERE ARE MINORS PRESENT!" I shouted.

Only then did Mom and Dad break their kiss. We grabbed our suitcases and headed for the car.

"I want to be told everything once we get home," Mom said.

So when we got home, Dad and I did just that. We told them about the way there, what happened in Italy, about the Irish Coven, and about the way back. Somehow, the conversation turned to school.

"When am I going back?" I asked.

"That depends. I told you that you didn't have to go this week, so you could back Monday or tomorrow if you want," Dad said.

"What day is it?" I asked.

"It's Thursday, tomorrow's Friday," Dad told me.

I thought about it. I was anxious to see Dylan and my friends, which chose my decision.

"I'll go back tomorrow, but what's the story?" I asked.

"Just say that you had a family emergency and you don't want to talk about it. You're telling the truth without revealing anything," Mom said.

"Okay, that works then," I said.

"It's seven-thirty, do you want dinner?" Mom asked.

"No thanks, I'm good," I said and started toward the stairs.

"Yes, you do want dinner. You haven't had a healthy, well-balanced meal in a few days. You will eat, even if I have to force food into your mouth," Dad said.

"Fine!" I grouched and stomped off to my room. I unpacked and put my dirty laundry in the laundry room. I played with Angel until Mom told me dinner was done.

After eating a healthy dinner of spaghetti with meat sauce, fruits, veggies, and a big glass of milk, I went upstairs to get ready for bed. I took a nice long shower and put on my favorite pajamas. I went on Facebook for a while before going to sleep.

I woke up the next morning full of energy. It started out as a normal, dreary morning, but then I realized that this was the last day of school before Winter Break. What a nice surprise! School that day was normal, but with an excited atmosphere. We were almost free! I was even able to avoid Bad Boy and spend a lot of time with my friends. I stood outside with Dylan waiting for Mom to pick me up.

"We should do something together over Christmas," he said.

"Yeah we should, but what?" I asked.

"I don't know, maybe go ice-skating?" he suggested.

"Sure! That sounds fun!" I said.

Mom pulled up.

"See you later," I said.

We hugged before I got into the car.

"Someone looks happy," she said.

I shrugged. "Three days till Christmas."

"Do you want to go do your shopping? Everyone else is already done," she said.

"Sure. Wow, I feel really behind on things."

She smiled. "We all had some time while you and your father were away."

That made sense. Then it dawned on me: I had no idea what to get anyone.

Well, that wasn't exactly true. My siblings were easy to shop for. Girly things for my sisters and manly things for my brothers. I'd probably buy Mom a nice piece of jewelry or something like that. I needed to get things for Bella and Dylan, which wouldn't be too much of a challenge. Bella didn't like anything big and I knew Dylan really well. The only person I truly had no idea what to get was Dad. Every year I usually got him something doctor related, but I wanted to do something different. This year had been extremely life changing for everyone, especially Dad and me. His life wasn't just his work now, it was so much more.

I felt like I needed to get him something that showed how much I loved and valued him, but what gift did that? I would just have to look around and try to find something that fit.

I went from store to store buying things for everyone. I got Emmett a few video games, Jasper a "World's Best Soldier" T-shirt in camouflage print, Edward a new cover for his piano, Rosalie a new pair of heels, Alice a sparkly tank top, and Mom a giant crystal heart. I was still shopping for Dad, but I wasn't having much luck.

"Mom, I can't find anything for Dad," I said.

"Maybe you could get him something to do with his work," she suggested.

"But I always do that."

"And he always loves it."

"But Mom, I want this year to be different and special. Dad and I went through some life changing experiences, and I want to show him how much I love him and am thankful for him sticking by my side every minute. I didn't treat him as well as I could have, and I just want him to know that no matter how I treat him, I love him a lot," I explained to her.

"Oh Honey, he already knows all that but I know what you mean. I think I have the perfect thing in mind," she said.

We walked to a custom-design shirt store. Mom bought a black T-shirt and we went over to the machine where you made your design.

"Write whatever you want on there," Mom told me.

I was thinking maybe a cute message like "My three hundred and seventy-four-year-old hero" but he wouldn't be three hundred and seventy-four years old forever. I wanted to put this year on it, but not on the front. I started by putting "Christmas of 2017" on the back in white lettering.

"Mom, what should I put on the front? I can't come up with anything."

She thought for a moment. "How about World's Best Dad?" she suggested.

"Too common," I said.

I thought for a while. Nothing seemed right. I couldn't put anything about vampires if I wanted him to wear it in public, which I did, so that was out. Something unique . . .

"I got it!" I said.

On the front I put "World's Best Daddy Since 1643" in blue lettering.

"That's perfect!" Mom said.

We walked out of the mall to the car and drove home. When we got there, I dragged everything into my room and grabbed a few boxes and rolls of wrapping paper. I grabbed my scissors and tape and laid everything out on the floor.

I wrapped my sibling's gifts first because I wanted to add things to Mom and Dad's gifts. I found the first pair of shoes that Mom had bought me and put them in a separate box to go along with her crystal heart. They didn't fit me anymore, and I figured it would be something she'd want to hang onto.

For Dad's I decided to write a letter telling him how much I loved him and appreciated what he'd done for me since the beginning. I grabbed a fancy piece paper and a pen.

_**Dear Daddy,**_

_**Thank you for being the world's best daddy since 1643. I may not have known you then, but just from the time that I have known you I know that you always were. I know that some kids who say that to their fathers are just trying to get something or say it just because, but I want you to know that I really mean it. I have told you before and I will tell you again; you are my hero. I remember when I first saw you in the hospital, when I was hiding from Riley, and was scared out of my mind. You found me and took care of me, even though I gave you a hard time. When you told me that you were going to adopt me, I didn't believe it. My entire life I thought of myself as a dirty, used, worthless human. You helped me see that I am more than that. Only because of you am I almost completely healed from my past. You give me everything I want, and I take it all for granted. I don't try to do that, really I don't. Sometimes I think of myself as a princess and become a snotty brat and act like I'm on top of the world, but just a moment with you makes me sweet and grounded again. Just recently you risked your life for me because you care about me. Every time I'm with you I realize how lucky I am. You are my biological father in every way that matters, DNA be damned. I've done a lot of things that I still don't forgive myself on, but you forgave me the second I did it. I want you to know that no matter what I do or say to you, I love you so much and you are the best dad there could ever be. Thank you so much for being my daddy, even though I don't deserve it. **_

_**I love you forever,**_

_**Ella**_

Tears were streaming down my face as I wrote this. I had to be careful to not let them drip onto the paper. I laid it in the bottom of the box under the shirt and wrapped it up carefully. I piled all the packages in the corner of my room to be put under the Christmas tree once we got it. I sat in the middle of my floor and let the tears run down my cheeks. I wrapped my arms around my legs and rested my chin on my knees. My tears of love dripped down onto the floor.

A little while later I heard my door open.

"Hey Sweetheart, I'm home. How was sc – what's wrong?" Dad asked.

This only made me cry harder. His love just showered me and while having thoughts like this, it was just overwhelming.

"What's wrong?" Dad asked again, sitting next to me on the floor and wrapped arms around my trembling body.

I dug my face into his neck.

"I love you," I sobbed.

"Ella?" he asked. He seemed really shaken.

"Ella, I'm really confused right now," he said a little worriedly.

I waited till I calmed down to speak. "Oh, don't worry Daddy. I'm just being overly emotional."

He raised an eyebrow. "About what?"

"You," I said.

He turned me around so that he could look me in the eyes.

"What could possibly be going on in that head of yours?" he asked.

I giggled. "You don't want to know."

He rolled his eyes.

"You know, I never did get to finish tickling you on the plane," he said, grinning evilly.

I tried to run, but it was useless. He caught me immediately and picked me up by my ankles. He carried me like that to my bed and plopped me down before starting to tickle me. I screamed and thrashed around but he kept doing it. Even though I told him to stop, I really didn't want him to.

Yeah, I know.

I'm a Daddy's Girl.

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**A/N: I hope you liked it! Please review, favorite, and follow. Don't forget to vote on my poll! :)**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: A while back, someone brought up that Esme wasn't in this story very much. I tried to make up for that in this chapter. For some reason, it's just easier for me to write Carlisle/Ella moments versus Esme/Ella moments I will definitely try though! I also want to thank those who reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. That's what keeps me going people! Enjoy Chapter 30.**

**Disclaimer: If you haven't figured out that I don't own Twilight yet, you must be eating Llamas for breakfast. **

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**CHAPTER 30:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

This morning Mom and I were going to be making cookies for the staff at the hospital like we did every year. Dad had to work today and tomorrow but he would be off Monday for Christmas. He was only able to be off until Thursday but that was better than nothing. I got dressed before going downstairs to the kitchen where Mom was already setting up.

"Morning," I said.

"Good morning Sweetie, do you want something to eat or do you want to start baking?" she asked.

"We can start baking," I said.

I had gotten pretty good at baking. The only part that I really need Mom's help for was the oven since I was really skittish about burning myself. We were going to start with sugar cookies so I started mixing the ingredients for the dough. Mom got out the cookie cutters and turned on the oven. Before long, she and I were rolling out the dough and cutting cookies. Once they were baked, I ate the broken ones and we started decorating. We boxed up most of them, but she of course set aside quite a few for me. She said that she'd save me twenty-five of each cookie. We cleaned up that mess and moved on to gingerbread. We followed the same process as we did with the sugar cookies and talked as we worked.

"Is it just me or are we making more cookies than usual?" I asked.

"The hospital recently added a few wings with different specialties, so there are of course a lot more staff," she said.

"Oh, what did they add?" I asked.

"A cancer center, family therapy, physical therapy, and they added onto the NICU," she told me.

"Dad must be busy," I said.

"He certainly is since he can do whatever procedure and likes to run all over the place," she said.

"So when are we going to get all of the decorations up?" I asked.

"Tomorrow. Your siblings are out hunting today and we are busy baking. We need to finish this and drop them off at the hospital. Your dad wants to show you something while we're there," she said.

"Just me? What does he want to show me?" I asked.

"I don't know, he wouldn't tell me," she said.

We finished frosting the gingerbread cookies and cleaned up.

"Did you want to make anything else?" Mom asked.

"Yeah. I saw this German cookie recipe that looked really good. You take regular dough and chocolate dough and put them on top of each other. Then you roll them up and slice the roll. The cookies have cool swirls when they're done," I said.

"Let's give it a try then," she said.

We made the batter and rolled it up. Mom sliced it and put them in the oven. They looked perfect.

"Yum," I said as I chewed one.

Mom smiled. "I'll take your word for it."

We boxed up the cookies and took them out to the car. When we got to the hospital, Dad came out to help us carry in the cookies.

"My two favorite people in the world!" one of the doctors exclaimed when Mom and I walked in the door.

We brought cookies to every part of the hospital. We ended with the ER since that was where Dad was working. Of course, we had to chat with his colleagues for a while like always. We eventually broke apart and it was just Dad, Mom, and me.

"Ella, there is something I want to show you," Dad said.

"Yeah, Mom told me," I said.

"All right, come with me."

We left Mom behind and went to the elevator.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"The NICU," Dad said.

"Really? Isn't that where they keep the babies?"

"Yes. I thought you might want to help me take care of some of them," he said.

We stepped out onto the NICU floor. Dad had wash my hands and put on a gown and gloves. He did the same. We went into a huge room that was filled with babies in glass boxes.

"Why are the babies in glass boxes?" I asked.

Dad chuckled. "They're called incubators. It keeps the baby healthy."

He brought me over to one of the incubators. He opened and reached inside. He pulled out a tiny baby wrapped in a pink blanket. She was absolutely adorable.

"Oh my gosh," I whispered as I saw her face. Her skin was slightly pink and her blue eyes were open.

"Her name is Sophia. Her parents abandoned her after she was born. I come and check on her several times a day," Dad said.

"How could her parents abandon her?" I asked. She was an angel.

"They are drug addicts. They didn't want her," he told me.

"That's so sad," I said.

"It is, but it's also a good thing. Could imagine drug addicts trying to take care of a newborn baby?"

"You have a point," I said.

It was silent for a moment.

"Like my parents," I whispered.

"What?" Dad asked.

"Her parents are exactly like mine. Her story is just like mine," I said.

"Oh Honey, don't worry. She will get good parents. The hospital is already trying to find staff to adopt her," he said.

"Why won't you and Mom adopt her?" I asked.

Dad chuckled. "Could you imagine a human child living with a vampire family?"

"Yeah, I _do_," I said.

"You are different. The second I saw you, I felt a connection that I can't even explain. I just knew that you were going to be my daughter. I also felt something similar with each of your siblings. I don't feel that with Sophie. There are parents out there who will feel that connection and adopt her. Trust me, okay?"

I looked down. "What if I want a baby sister?"

Dad laughed. "Then you're out of luck on that one, Sweetheart."

"Darn."

"Do you want to hold her?" he asked.

"Yes!"

I made a cradle out of my arms and Dad set her into it. I used my hand to support her neck and made sure I had a good grip on her.

"She's so small," I commented.

"She was born five days ago," Dad informed me.

She started to squirm and whine.

"What do I do?" I asked frantically.

"Just rock her," Dad said in his smooth voice.

I swayed back and forth and she calmed down quickly.

"You're a natural," Dad said.

"I want to take her home," I said.

"Why do you think I never let your mother in here?"

I smiled. "I kinda wish you would."

"Never gonna happen Sugar Plum Princess."

We spent about a half hour in there before Dad took me back down to Mom. She was chatting with a few of the nurses. I could tell that Dad was impressed that his wife wasn't trying to kill the people who had flirted with her husband.

"I think it's time you two ladies headed home," Dad said, pulling Mom and I under his arms.

"Yes, Ella and I have some things left to do for Christmas preparation," Mom said.

"We do?" I asked. She hadn't told me anything.

"Yes we do," Mom said pointedly.

"Right," I said.

We said bye to Dad and walked out to the car.

"What do we have to do?" I asked as she started driving.

"Nothing. I just wanted to get out of there. All of those women are foolish to think they have the nerve to flirt with my husband!" she ranted.

I laughed. "Mom, chill out. You know that Dad loves you and only you."

"It still bothers me. What did you and Dad do?" she asked.

"We went to the NICU and saw the newborn babies," I told her.

"He won't let me in there," she grumbled.

"Mom, you would make him let you take them all home," I said.

"True."

"So, since everyone's gone for the day, what are we going to do?" I asked.

"You want to do something with me?"

"Yeah. We haven't had a Mommy and Me Day in like, forever," I said.

"Well, what do you want to do?" she asked.

"Could we go get manicures? I want my nails to look nice for Christmas," I said.

"Sure, that sounds fun. But are you sure you wouldn't rather do that with your friends?" she asked.

"Mom, I barely do anything with you. I'm growing up, and I don't want to leave home knowing I've never done anything with you," I said.

"You are the best daughter ever!" she said.

"Can I tell Rosalie and Alice you said that?"

"No you may not."

By the end of the manicure, I had blood red nails with green Christmas trees on top. Mom got dark green base with white snowflakes. We went to lunch and laughed the entire time. Mostly because I spilled my water, but still. I realized that this was something that I should've done a long time ago.

My siblings got home around seven and we played Mario Kart like we always did. Since there were six of us, we couldn't really play any other games. It was great for bonding time.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I got home and found all of my children playing Mario Kart together on the Wii. Even though they were making a lot of noise, I smiled. I thought my family was complete after I found Rosalie, but now I know how insanely wrong I was.

"How was work?" Esme asked.

"Wonderful since my girls were there," I said, giving her a kiss.

We looked over at our obnoxious children.

Esme sighed and shook her head. "I don't get it. Sometimes World War Three breaks out when they're all together, and other times it's like they're all best friends."

I smiled. "Welcome to parenting. Glad to see you've decided to take part."

Slowly, she turned around and gave me an apprehensive look.

"Are you saying that I haven't been parenting?" she asked. Her voice sounded dangerous.

"I'm joking. Simmer down, Mama Bear," I told her.

She growled and jumped onto me, folding her legs around my waist.

"Not now, Love. The children are around."

"Yes now," she demanded.

"All right," I sighed, giving in. I carried her upstairs and dropped her on the bed.

"You asked for it," I said.

**EDWARD'S POINT OF VIEW:**

At about three in the morning, Dad finally came out of the bedroom and went to his study. I had been waiting all day to talk to him. I have some very important decisions to make, and I can't make them on my own.

I entered his study without knocking. I knew that he wouldn't care. He told us that his door was always open. The fact that he actually _wanted_ to deal with our problems was and always will be a mystery to me.

"Hello Edward, what do you need?" he asked, putting his book down.

"Help," I said.

"Please sit down Son," he said.

I complied and looked at him. He studied me for a minute. He always did this when any of us were reluctant to tell him what was up. It was almost like he was trying to figure it out by taking in our body language and mood. He was always had the patience of a saint, something I would forever admire and envy.

"All right Boy," he said. "What's going on?"

I sighed. "Bella wants to be a vampire."

"She's wanted that for the past four years," he said.

"Yeah, but, I told her that I would give in to her wishes," I informed him.

"So you want me to change her?" he asked.

"No . . . well, yes, _I _want you to change her, but she wants _me _to change her."

"Okay . . ."

"And I'm not sure if I can do it."

He thought for a moment. "Son, you know what you are capable of. You know that you are not capable of killing her. When you change her, you will be in the right frame of mind. You will bite her and be done with it. I know this because you love her greatly. Take her to Isle Esme and change her. Stay there for as long as you need but, please, come back when she has control. I can't bear to lose either of you. Go and get your mate."

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"I'm positive. Even though you don't want her to be a vampire because of what you believe, you both need this. I can assure you that you will both be happy in the end. That's all that matters, right?" he said.

I sighed. "You're right. We'll leave after Christmas."

"Make sure to hold a family meeting before you go. This will be hard on everyone but, just enjoy yourself. Make this change in your life be an everlasting memory," he said.

"Thanks Dad. You gave me a lot more confidence."

"That's what I'm here for. Now go, I'm sure you need some time to think," he said.

I followed his orders and went to my room. There were a lot of arrangements to be made.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Today was Christmas Eve! Only one more day till Christmas! This was one of my favorite days of the year for many reasons, one of them being we got to decorate. I hurried up and got dressed so that we could pick out our tree.

"I'm ready to go!" I shouted as I ran down the stairs.

I wasn't surprised to see my siblings standing by the door. We got in the car and drove to the tree farm. We always got a giant tree since we had the space for it. We picked out a perfect, fluffy tree. We put it in the back of Emmett's Jeep like we always did. The boys dragged it in the door and us girls grabbed the decorations. This was going to be an all-day project.

We had just started decorating the tree when Dad got home. He looked happy that he could help with the decorating since he usually didn't get to. Dad was also a major perfectionist, which got to be really annoying since he, Mom, Alice, Rosalie, and I all had different definitions of perfect.

"There, it's perfect," I said.

We all stood back to admire the tree. We Cullen's don't go halfway on Christmas, or any occasion really. The rails on the stairs were decorated with colorful lights, all of our stockings were hung over the fireplace, Christmas knickknacks were all over the place, and Mom and Dad were bringing down the presents to put under the tree. I ran upstairs, almost tripping on a stuffed snowman sitting on the landing, and grabbed mine. Since our house was basically a big square with layers, I was able to walk to the edge of the railing and drop the packages onto the couch three stories below. As soon as Mom put them under the tree, I got an idea. I sat on the railing and fell backwards.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I screamed as I fell. Just as planned, I landed on the couch.

"That was awesome!" I exclaimed.

"Ella Dixie Cullen! Don't you ever do that again!" Dad scolded.

"But it was fun!" I said.

"I don't care. You could have missed the couch and gotten hurt. Do you really want broken bones for Christmas?"

"Could you please install an escalator? I hate having to climb three flights of stairs to get to my room," I said.

"If it will keep you from doing stunts like that, I'll do it tomorrow," he said.

"I was kidding, Dad."

I went to bed after having a quick snack, knowing that the sooner I went to bed, the sooner Christmas morning would come. Yeah, I know. I'm a five-year-old when it comes to Christmas.

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**A/N: Please review and vote on my poll.**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Sorry that I haven't updated all week. It's just been a really bad week and I've been too stressed to write. Thank you to everyone who reads, reviews, favorites, and follows this story. I should be able to update soon. There are only two weeks left and then I will be done with my first year of college! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I didn't even know that half of the names used in the Twilight Saga existed, so I don't own Twilight. Okay, that made no sense, but you get the point. **

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**CHAPTER 31:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up to the feeling of cool fingers stroking my cheekbones. The touch was soft, delicate, and capable of crushing things instantly. The fingers belonged to none other than my father. I opened my eyes to find him sitting on the edge of my bed.

"Merry Christmas, Baby Girl," he said.

"Merry Christmas," I said back.

"Are you feeling okay?" he asked, a concerned expression on his face.

"Yeah," I said. "Why are you here?"

"Well, it's ten o'clock on Christmas morning and you're not even out of bed yet, which concerns me, and I just now noticed that your skin is a little warm," he said.

"Ten? Really? I'm probably just warm because I've been under the blankets, but I feel fine," I told him.

He smiled. "I'm glad. How about you come downstairs then? Everyone's waiting for you, and you know how Emmett gets when he has to wait on Christmas morning."

I giggled and sat up. Dad rubbed my back to get me more alert. For some very, very strange reason I always woke up faster if my back was being rubbed. I'd prefer that over being tickled any day though.

We walked downstairs into the living room where my entire family was waiting. And not just my family, but also the Denali's! I hadn't seen them in two years!

"Tanya! Kate! Irina! Carmen! Eleazar!" I shouted, giving each of them a hug.

"Merry Christmas!" they chorused.

"I've missed you guys so much!" I said.

"We missed you too," Carmen said.

We all sat on the floor in front of the tree. I let Emmett open the first present since he had been waiting forever. He picked the videogames that I'd gotten him and he loved them. He gave me one of his signature bear hugs. The Denali's gave me their present next. It was an envelope. I opened to find five hundred dollars cash. It would be hard for my family to top this gift.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I smiled as I watched my children open their gifts. There were over three hundred presents under that tree, totaling up to about half of a million dollars. To an outsider, it must look like I spoil them. Well, I do sometimes but not so much that they start questioning my authority. Every single one of them has tested that at least once and found out that it was very strong. My children found out very quickly that I was loving, but firm.

"Daddy, I saved yours for last," Ella said to me. She was sitting on the floor in front of me holding out a package. I took it from her and thanked her.

"Don't thank me yet, you haven't even opened it," she said.

I smiled and carefully unwrapped the package. I opened the box to find a black T-shirt inside. I pulled it out and read the front out loud.

"World's Best Daddy Since 1643. That couldn't be more true."

"Dad!" Ella said.

"What?"

"Get off your high horse!"

I smiled and ruffled her hair. "Thanks Honey, I love it. Every time I wear this I will be reminded of you. Though, I don't think you'll ever let me forget about you."

We hugged and I just held her for a minute. My child was growing up too fast and I wanted to have every moment I could with her. I went to put the shirt back in the box and I noticed there was a piece of paper lying on the bottom. I picked it up and read it.

_**Dear Daddy,**_

_**Thank you for being the world's best daddy since 1643. I may not have known you then, but just from the time that I have known you I know that you always were. I know that some kids who say that to their fathers are just trying to get something or say it just because, but I want you to know that I really mean it. I have told you before and I will tell you again; you are my hero. I remember when I first saw you in the hospital, when I was hiding from Riley, and was scared out of my mind. You found me and took care of me, even though I gave you a hard time. When you told me that you were going to adopt me, I didn't believe it. My entire life I thought of myself as a dirty, used, worthless human. You helped me see that I am more than that. Only because of you am I almost completely healed from my past. You give me everything I want, and I take it all for granted. I don't try to do that, really I don't. Sometimes I think of myself as a princess and become a snotty brat and act like I'm on top of the world, but just a moment with you makes me sweet and down-to-Earth again. Every time I'm with you I realize how lucky I am. You are my biological father in every way that matters, DNA be damned. I've done a lot of things that I still don't forgive myself on, but you forgave me the second I did it. I want you to know that no matter what I do or say to you, I love you so much and you are the best dad there could ever be. Thank you so much for being my daddy, even though I don't deserve it. **_

_**I love you forever,**_

_**Ella**_

I felt venom tears form in my eyes. It took everything I had to keep them from spilling over. I pulled Ella into my arms and clutched her tightly. That may have been the sweetest thing she has ever done. All the disagreements, that meant nothing now. This moment I knew for a fact that nothing could ever break our bond. I was her father, she was my daughter. That's the way it would be forever.

"I love you too, Baby Girl," I whispered in her ear.

Everyone else had started talking during the time I read the letter. No one was paying attention. I simply held my child while the family jabbered away. She sighed contently and lay back against my chest. She tilted her head back and looked at me. I rubbed her collarbone which made her duck her head and giggle. I smiled; my daughter was just so silly.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

The day consisted of fun-filled family time. Christmas was always one of those rare days that everyone in the family got along. That night while I was taking the tags off of my new clothes and putting them where they belonged, someone knocked on my door.

"Come in," I said without pausing my work.

"Hey Sis," Edward said.

I put my new pair of jeans down and turned to face him. "What's up?"

"There's something I need to tell you," he said.

"Okay," I said, waiting expectantly.

"You know how Bella wants to be a vampire? Well, I've decided to make her wish come true. Since you are human and it will be dangerous for the two of you to be near each other for a while, we are both leaving to go to a secluded place until she is in control. It isn't forever, just for a year or so," he said.

"I'm going to miss you both so much," I said.

"We'll miss you too."

"When are you leaving?" I asked.

"Very early tomorrow morning," he informed me.

"Well, good luck to both of you. I love you and tell Bella that I love her too," I said.

Edward and I shared a long hug before he left me alone. I was really sad that my brother and Bella were leaving for such a long time, but I understood that this was something they needed to do. I wanted my brother to be happy, and Bella was the only thing that could make that happen. It wasn't goodbye forever, it was see you later.

**ESME'S POINT OF VIEW:**

My baby boy was leaving. The last time he did that, it was for ten years. I had other children now, but he was still a huge loss. He was my first son. It was only because of him that I was healed from the loss of my human son. I wanted Bella to be a part of our family forever, but that meant losing her for a little while. I don't pick favorites, but if I had to pick a favorite son it would be Edward, temper and all. He was the only one of my sons that actually did things with me besides hunt. Edward was a Mama's Boy, and what could I love more than that?

Edward and Bella left for South America at two in the morning. I was so glad that he brought Bella here for one last visit. After almost an hour of farewell hugs, Edward declared that it was time for them to hit the road. As soon as the car disappeared down the road, I threw my face into Carlisle's chest and started bawling. I was crying venom tears, which I hadn't done in a while. Carlisle murmured consoling words into my ear, but I could feel his tears dripping onto my shoulder. One of our brood was gone, and it may take a while to get him back. To make matters worse, my fourth daughter was gone with him.

"Sheesh Mom, you're acting like you've lost all of us. Why are we even here if the only teen you love and care about is Edward?" Emmett asked, sticking his nose up in the air.

"Oh come here, Bear," Carlisle said.

We sandwiched Emmett in-between us. Alice couldn't resist a chance to hug someone, so she joined as well. Jasper and Rosalie weren't cooperating. They just stood there and rolled their eyes. Whatever, they were just missing out. Too bad Ella was asleep; she would have been a great addition to the group hug.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up feeling very excited. Dylan and I had made plans to go ice-skating today a few days ago. We were going to the rink at noon. We planned on getting lunch there and then going skating. I ate my breakfast in a hurry so that I could go get ready. At eleven-thirty, Mom and I drove off toward the rink.

I didn't have my own skates, so I had to rent them. As I waited in line I looked around for Dylan, but I didn't see him. I wasn't too worried since I was a few minutes early. After I got my skates, I sat down on a bench to wait. I waited ten minutes before deciding to check the rink. Even if he was running late, I was still going to go skate. Maybe I'd see some people I knew. Sure enough when I got to the rink, he was there. It took me a minute to notice that he wasn't alone.

He was with another girl.

They were holding hands and smiling as they skated around the rink. I tried not to make assumptions without talking to him, maybe they were just cousins or friends or something. That assumption was ruined when he leaned over and kissed the blonde girl on the lips.

I felt my knees weaken and I hobbled over to the bench. I took off my skates and just sat there. I didn't believe what I had seen. It just didn't seem right. I had to accept that the girl was more than just a cousin or a friend.

I regained my strength and stood up. He was just coming off the rink with the girl. He stopped in his tracks when he saw me. That was all the confirmation I needed.

I walked up to him. "It's over!" I said.

Then, my revengeful side kicked in. I gave him a good hard slap across the face, just the way Jasper taught me. I took my water bottle, unscrewed the cap, and threw it at Blondie. I couldn't stop myself; I was on a roll now. I turned around and spotted a boy that was about my age. I waited till he was closer to us before throwing my arms around his neck and kissing him passionately on the lips. Before the pain could kick in, I threw my skates on the counter and ran out the door.

Tears streamed down my face as I sprinted toward the hospital. Dad was working today, and the hospital wasn't far from the ice rink. I needed a somewhat private place to break down while I waited for Mom to come and get me to take me home. That place was Dad's office. Finally the hospital came into view. I ran through the door that was closest to the elevator and went up to the right floor. Dad was out by the nurse's station talking to his colleagues. I blew past him and into his office before he had time to say my name. He followed right after me immediately though.

"Ella, what's wrong?" he asked.

I was sobbing too hard to answer.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, moving closer as if to get a better look at me.

"Not physically," I managed to choke out.

"What does that mean?"

"I went on a date with Dylan," I began to explain. I couldn't finish because saying HIS name only ignited the painful, burning fire from not long ago.

Dad's eyes narrowed and became fierce. "What did he do to you?"

"H-He was there w-with another g-girl. He didn't notice I was there and then he k-k-kissed her," I sobbed.

"What a lying cheating bastard!" Dad exclaimed.

I was shocked when those words left his mouth, I think he was too. Those three words defined Dylan perfectly. Never in all the time I had known him, did I even imagine that he would cheat on me. I was blindsided.

"What did you do about it?" Dad asked once he had calmed down a little, but not much.

"I told him it was over and I slapped him across the face. Then I threw water on Blondie before kissing a random guy that walked by. Dylan looked hurt, so I think I was successful," I told him.

"I'm very proud of you Ella. Though, I am not thrilled about the fact that you kissed some random guy that you didn't even know, but I understand that you were hurt and mad and that you wanted to get back at Dylan. Who's Blondie?" he asked.

"Blondie is what I call the slut that stole my boyfriend. You know, dumb, idiotic, bitchy, psychotic blondes. I'm starting to think that it isn't just a stereotype," I said.

Dad gave me this look. There was no way to explain it; it was just this . . . look.

"What?" I asked.

Then something hit me.

I was standing here, talking to my, yes, **BLONDE** father.

"Ohhhhhhhh, sorry about that. I didn't mean you. I just meant . . ." I trailed off. It was no use.

"Well you know what they say about brown-haired girls . . ." he started.

"They're beautiful!" I said.

"No, I don't think that's it. I would tell you, but your mother would get mad at me for saying something like that in front of you," he said.

"Speaking of Mom, can you call her and tell her to pick me up?" I asked.

"Of course, Sweetheart. Why don't you sit down and just relax until she gets here?" Dad suggested.

I sat down while Dad called Mom. He told me that she'd be here in about twenty minutes. Dad had to get back to work, so I was left alone in his office. I didn't want to be alone because I knew that if I was, I would start thinking about Dylan and get all worked up again. I needed to wait till Mom brought me home or at least till I was in the car so that I could talk to her about everything that had happened. She probably had experience in this area. I bet my sisters do too, so they might be a good option.

I broke down as soon as my door was shut. I cried as I told Mom about everything that had happened. When I was done, her face was sad and angry.

"You did the right thing. Ending the relationship right then and there is hard to do, but necessary after something as extreme as that. Don't ever take him back, no matter how hard he tries. He is obviously not good for you and you don't need any more bad people in your life. Someday you will find the right guy and get married and have the most wonderful family. Don't worry about that yet though, you're still very young. I don't want you to make my mistakes. I think that you have a pretty good taste of what relationships can be like from this bad experience. You don't want to ever experience it again, do you?" she asked.

"No, of course not," I said.

"Now you will have a better judgment in guys. You will stay away from ones that will just end up breaking your heart."

"Thanks Mom, I kind of feel better about the whole situation now. It will definitely be easier to deal with. I'm kinda glad that I'll be going to a different school next year, so I won't have to see his face for much longer."

"Only a few more months, then he'll be gone," Mom said.

My siblings tried to cheer me up the best they could, but I was still a little down. I would get over Dylan though; he wasn't any good for me.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I wanted to rip Dylan into tiny little pieces and scream at him for what he did to my daughter. I couldn't imagine the pain that she was feeling. She had trusted him, and he had broken that trust. What boy in their right mind would ever do that to Ella? She was such a good person, there was just no reason. I let Ella make this mistake once, and I would never let her make it again. Any boy that tries to get with my daughter is going to have to be approved by _**me**_ from now on.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

The next day was better already. It didn't hurt as much. The tears were all turning to rage. I wasn't quite done getting my revenge on Dylan. I texted my friends and we started plotting. Monday was going to be pure **Hell** for him. He better sleep with one eye open. Or both.

* * *

**A/N: I really hope you liked it. And don't worry about Ella's revenge on Dylan, she's not turning into a monster or anything. Let's just say that things are about to get . . . interesting at school for Ella. Just so you know, there won't be too many more huge age jumps in the story. I may skip a few months, but nothing longer than that. As I said before, there will be a sequel to this story and it will be called The Princess Becomes The Queen. There's still a ways to go with this story but I can't help but think ahead. Anyway, please review this chapter and vote on my poll. Thanks for reading if you did! :)**


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: This chapter is a little wacky but I promise the story will get exciting in the next few chapters. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight and I am not Carrie Underwood.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 32:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

School was back in session after the long Winter Break we had. My brothers and sisters were headed back to the local high school, and I was headed back to Discovery. I only had a little less than five months left there, and I wanted to make them count. The nice thing was Jessica, Lauren, and Amanda were all going to Saint John's Prep for high school like me, so at least I would know some people when I went there.

Dad dropped me off and I walked inside to find my friends standing by the door waiting. They were going to help me get revenge on Dylan. We weren't going to be too evil since we didn't want to get in trouble, but we were going to embarrass Dylan, that was for sure. The plan was to make Dylan's cheating on me known to the whole school to ruin his reputation. No girl would want to date him once they found out that he cheated on his first girlfriend. That made me wonder if I was really his first girlfriend. How long had he been dating Blondie?

It would take place at lunch, where the whole school would be gathered and we could easily make a scene. I was so glad that my friends were in this with me. I probably wouldn't have the confidence to do it alone. The morning whizzed by and before I knew it, it was time for lunch. Or should I say, time to get revenge on Dylan.

Once everyone was seated and the cafeteria was filled with the buzz of voices, it was time. The four of us went to the middle of the room and Amanda pulled out her guitar. Once she started playing, the talking slowly ceased.

"This is for Dylan Walsh!" I yelled.

"**Right now he's probably slow dancing  
With a bleached-blond tramp  
And she's probably getting frisky  
Right now, he's probably buying  
Her some fruity little drink  
'Cause she can't shoot whiskey**

**Right now, he's probably up behind her**  
**With a pool stick**  
**Showing her how to shoot a combo**  
**And he don't know**

**I dug my key into the side**  
**Of his pretty little souped-up four wheel drive**  
**Carved my name into his leather seat**  
**I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights**  
**Slashed a hole in all four tires**  
**And maybe next time he'll think before he cheats**

**Right now, she's probably up singing some**  
**White-trash version of Shania karaoke**  
**Right now, she's probably saying, "I'm drunk"**  
**And he's a thinking that he's gonna get lucky**

**Right now, he's probably dabbing on 3 dollars**  
**Worth of that bathroom Polo**  
**Oh and he don't know**

**That I dug my key into the side**  
**Of his pretty little souped-up four wheel drive**  
**Carved my name into his leather seat**  
**I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights**  
**Slashed a hole in all four tires**  
**And maybe next time he'll think before he cheats**

**I might've saved a little trouble for the next girl**  
**'Cause the next time that he cheats**  
**Oh, you know it won't be on me!**  
**No, not on me**

**'Cause I dug my key into the side**  
**Of his pretty little souped-up four wheel drive**  
**Carved my name into his leather seat**  
**I took a Louisville slugger to both head lights**  
**Slashed a hole in all four tires**  
**Maybe next time he'll think before he cheats**  
**Oh, maybe next time he'll think before he cheats**  
**Oh, before he cheats"**

Everyone was looking at Dylan when the four of us finished singing. He looked like he wanted to drop into a deep hole and never come out. Perfect. There was dead silence for a few seconds until little whispers like "He cheated on her?" or "Who would cheat on Ella Cullen?" started up. Yes, this was mostly to get revenge on Dylan, but I also hoped that this would warn other girls about Dylan. Believe it or not, I do have a heart, and I wouldn't want anyone else to suffer the pain that I did because of him.

The bell rang and everyone cleared out of the cafeteria to head to class. The four of us high-fived before going to class. I shot Dylan a dirty look on the way. His cheeks were as red as a tomato. Good, he was embarrassed. Everyone kept shooting him looks of disbelief and a few even looked angry. It was nice to know that I had this many people that would stick up for me. Most people tried to be friends with me, and I kinda just brushed them off. I would have to stop doing that. I shouldn't throw away possible friendships like that. The more friends the better.

It was fifteen minutes till the end of the day and we were let out of Drama early. I was standing at my locker grabbing my things when Alec's group of goons came up to me.

"Hey look, it's Cheater Girl," one of them said. The others laughed.

"You sound like a vicious little thang," another said.

I couldn't believe that they used the word _thang_ when they talked about me. Guys only say that when they want a girl. Wait a minute . . .

"What do you want?" I asked icily, digging my phone out of my purse.

"You're gorgeous," someone said.

"Come hang with us," someone else invited.

"Excuse me," I said, trying to find an open space that I could slip through. They were surrounding me.

"Don't you wanna be with one of the cool guys?" the boy who spoke first said.

"Get out of my way!" I yelled.

They only closed in on me. I slid down to the floor, intimidated by their menacing posture. One was about to grab me when a strong, velvety voice spoke.

"Leave her alone," the voice said firmly.

The crowd parted to reveal none other than Bad Boy, Leader of The Goons. They all dressed to look like him. He came forward and his group paid attention to him, waiting for orders like he was their boss.

"She's not worth our time, let's go," he said.

Slowly they all drifted away. Alec went behind them all to make sure that none of them stayed. He walked away without a backward glance.

What just happened?

I slowly unfroze and began to gather all of the books that I had dropped. The bell rang just as I finished grabbing my stuff. I walked toward the door in a daze. Did Alec actually care enough to keep his followers off of me, or did he just not want them to be around me? The latter was more likely, but I still had my suspicions about the first. These past few weeks, Alec had been more . . . tolerant of me. He wasn't exactly _nice_ and we didn't really acknowledge one another, but he had stopped glaring at me. I was over my crush on him, but I would really like it if we could at least interact a little bit.

"How was your day?" Mom asked me, getting my attention.

"Fine," I said.

"You don't feel like talking?" she asked.

"Not really."

She accepted that. I just stared blankly out the window for a while when I realized that we weren't going the way that we usually did.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Oh, I forgot to tell you. I'm dropping you off at the hospital to hang out with your dad for a while. Your siblings did something at school so I have to go there and I didn't want to leave you home alone," she explained.

"Mom, I'm twelve, I think I can handle being home alone for a while. It's not like you'll be gone for a whole day or anything."

"All right, fine. Your father won't be happy with me though. I know that you are old enough to stay home by yourself, but he doesn't want you to," she said.

"What a surprise," I muttered.

"He's only trying to protect you."

"Well it's getting to be ridiculous! And I have a feeling that it's only going to get worse because of the whole Dylan situation," I said.

"Probably."

"You won't give me a hard time, will you?" I asked.

"Of course not. I know what you're going through, I've been there. You'll find a guy that is perfect and your dad won't have anything against him. He's just a little edgy right now, so don't provoke him with things like that. He'll get over it eventually," Mom said.

It was weird to be in this big house alone. Even with Angel, it was still oddly quiet. The nice thing about living in the middle of the woods is you don't get a bunch of people knocking on your door. I was really kind of bored, so I decided to walk down to the end of the road and get the mail. It was a three-mile road, so it would take some time. The mailman wouldn't bring things up to our house, so our mailbox was next to the highway where the road began. Dad usually grabbed it on his way home from work.

I put Angel on the leash and took her with me on the jog to the mailbox. She really likes to go on walks, and I don't take her out as often as I should. I was grateful that Mom had taken care of her ever since I started school. I mean, I wasn't too busy to take care of her. I was really just too lazy.

For some very strange reason, we had a lot of mail today. I was amazed at how quiet Dad could keep our family, but some things could just not be avoided. I have to admit that I added to it with all of my magazine subscriptions. Once I had gathered the mail, I sat down on the side of the road and just looked out at the scenery. It wasn't bitterly cold today like usual, which was nice. I watched the few cars that zoomed down the highway, but other than that there wasn't much traffic.

I sat there for a while and saw a dirty white truck come down the road. It slowed down when it came nearer, and stopped just a few feet away from me. I was kinda scared, so I stood up and started walking down the road toward home. Wait a second, I knew that truck.

I turned around and saw Riley get out. Oh God. I froze and was unable to move even though my brain screamed at me to run for my life. Riley started walking towards me.

"Riley, stay away," I said in my most menacing voice.

"How do you know my – Sugar?" he asked as realization hit him.

"My name is not _Sugar_," I spit.

"I . . . I didn't expect to see you again," he said.

"Yeah, me neither," I said.

"I didn't know it was you," he said.

"Don't mess with me Riley," I said.

He snorted. "I'm not scared of you."

He took a step toward me, and I took five steps back.

"You should be," I said, even though it was a meaningless threat.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, walking towards me.

"I live here," I said, skittering back and continuing to move.

"In the streets?" he asked.

"No. In a mansion, with my family," I said.

He darted toward me and grabbed me, making me drop Angel's leash.

"**LET ME GO!" **I screamed and started kicking.

He grinned evilly. "No way. I've spent the past four years looking for you, and now I've found you. I'm going to teach you to NEVER run away again."

Riley threw me down onto the pavement. I scraped my elbows and knees. The knees on my jeans ripped and blood seeped through. The same thing happened to my coat and elbows. He got on top of me and started undoing my jeans. I screamed and slapped him, but it was no use. He took a sharp stick and dragged it along the left side of my face, cutting it open. He got my pants down and was about to go into me when I saw headlights and heard the sound of a car squealing against the road, struggling to stop.

"Let go of her now," an intimidating voice ordered. I recognized it as Dad's.

"Daddy!" I cried.

Suddenly Riley was yanked off of me and I saw him and Dad standing ten feet away from me. I sat up slowly and Angel came to stand guard in front of me. She was growling at Riley.

"I made a promise to myself that if I ever saw you again that I would kill you. And it looks like I'm going to have to fulfill that promise," Dad said.

Before Riley could reply, Dad's hand chopped down on Riley's neck, making it snap. He did the same thing to the middle of his spine and tossed him out into the road. I heard Riley's skull crack. Dad picked me up and shoved me into the car. He threw Angel into the backseat and sped off toward home. We made it there in less than a minute and seconds later I was sitting on the kitchen counter.

"Are you okay?" Dad asked concernedly.

"My elbows and knees are scraped and the left side of my face is bleeding, so I'm not okay," I said.

"Let me grab my bag," Dad said.

He was back with his black doctor's bag. He started cleaning the side of my face.

"This is going to need stitches," he said softly.

Dad had me in a headlock and injected something into my cheek before I could say anything. I screamed out in pain.

"I'm sorry Honey, but you won't feel anything now," Dad said as I cried.

"I hate Riley!" I screamed.

"He's gone now," Dad said in a strained voice.

"Can we talk about it later?" I sobbed.

"Of course Sweetie, don't worry," he said.

Dad relaxed as he stitched up my face. He was more comforting and sympathetic now that he had calmed down. I know that he didn't mean to hurt me.

"I don't want a scar on my face," I cried.

"I'm using a very thin thread so it won't leave a scar. I'm almost done," he said.

Once he was done, he stopped treating me and wrapped his arms around me.

"It's okay now," he said.

"I was really scared!" I cried.

"Daddy's got you. You're safe. I'm here. You won't ever have to see him again, he's gone. It's all right," Dad comforted.

He wiped my tears away with his thumb. I gripped the sleeve of his lab coat tightly. I needed him here.

"Can I take care of your scrapes now?" he asked gently.

"Yeah, but then I want you to hold me," I sobbed.

A few minutes later we were on the couch in the living room. I sat on his lap as I cried. He whispered soothing words in my ear and let me cry it all out. I was ready to talk after a few minutes of being comforted.

"You promised yourself that you would kill Riley if you ever saw him?" I asked Dad.

"Yes. He hurt you, and I don't want him to hurt anyone else. He abused you, physically and sexually. A man like that doesn't deserve to live," he said.

"I love you so much Daddy. That must have been really hard for you to kill a person, but you did it for me. Thank you for keeping me safe," I said.

"It was really hard. I love you too Honey," he said.

"Can we not tell Mom and everyone about this?" I begged with a sniffle.

"I will not hide things from your mother, but your siblings don't have to know if you don't want them to. Speaking of which, where is everybody?" he asked.

"They got in trouble at school so Mom had to go there," I informed him.

Dad sighed. "This sure is an eventful day. I'm just glad I was able to come home early."

"Me too. Can I go take a shower and get to bed?" I asked.

"Go right ahead," Dad said.

I did just that. I let all of my worries wash off and go down the drain. Tomorrow was a new day.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was standing on the porch with Esme after I told her what happened. We were just taking a few minutes to be together when a car drove up. It was Edward's Volvo. What in the world?

"Edward! You're home!" my ecstatic wife exclaimed. She jumped down from the balcony and hugged our son. Then she hugged Bella, who was still as human as she was when she left. I was glad that they were home, but I couldn't help wondering why they didn't go through with their plans. Apparently Esme was curious too.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Bella decided to stay human for a while longer. It makes no difference anyway, so why change it? Besides, Bella isn't sure if she wants to live with our crazy family just yet," Edward said with a smirk at Bella.

"I never said that!" she defended.

"Well I'm glad you're back. Edward, take Bella home and then come get settled. We also need to talk about some things that have happened in your absence. And also about getting you back into high school somewhere since your siblings have gotten anyone by the name of Cullen expelled from Seattle High," I said.

Edward's eyes widened in surprise. "And I thought _I_ was the troublemaker. I'll be back soon."

They drove off and I was left with my wife. We were still discussing the children's behavior.

"What is the correct punishment?" Esme asked.

So far we had sent them to their rooms saying that we were very disappointed in their behavior. We did that because we were disappointed, but really we needed time to come up with a punishment. I didn't use corporal punishment on my children, mainly because it would hurt me to hurt them, but also because that was just teaching them to hit each other when they got angry which was the exact opposite of what we wanted. I absolutely hated it when my children got into trouble.

"Well, they need to be grounded for starters. Let's say . . . until Ella gets out of school. They will have to repeat their tenth grade year next year, so why not ground them till summer? They will only be allowed to hunt when accompanied by you or me. I will take away phone and car usage for two months. Their doors will be taken off the hinges for one week. And finally they will be expected to help you with household chores starting now to the end of summer vacation. How's that?" I proposed.

Esme sighed. "Very harsh, but we can't just let this go with a simple warning. They know better."

"This of course excludes Edward and Ella," I said seriously.

She looked at me and said, "No duh."

I smiled. "Just thought I'd ease the tension with my humorous personality."

"You're about as funny as a rock," Esme said.

"That means I am very funny, since I am a rock."

She slapped my chest and shoved me backwards.

"I have a question," she announced.

"I have an answer," I said back.

"When and where are we going to move? We've been here for almost five years and we obviously can't stay here forever. We can only get eight years out of a place if we're lucky, but I don't want Ella to have to change schools until she goes to college. She wants to be with her friends for high school, and I plan to let her do that. I don't want her to be jumping around too much," Esme said.

I sighed. "I thought about that, and I decided that we are going to pull five more years out of this place. We'll manage. That way Ella will be eighteen and done with school. She can live with us after if she wants, but I don't want her to put up a fight because she wants to stay with her friends."

"Where will we move to?" she asked.

"We are going to New Hampshire. Most days are cloudy so it will be perfect. There are some great colleges around there too, so Ella has lots of options. I'm sure she'd have no trouble getting into one. There's Yale, Harvard is close by in Massachusetts . . ." I trailed off when I got a look from Esme.

"So you think that moving to the East Coast where there are a bunch of colleges will keep Ella near us?" Esme said.

If I could have blushed, I would have. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Don't try to influence her, Carlisle. She will make her own decisions on those things when the time comes. Don't worry about that just yet, we still have quite a few years to go," she said.

I sighed. Talking about Ella getting older was making me crabby.

"I think it's time I go inform our disobedient children of their punishments," I said.

She gave me a nod of encouragement. I sighed and told the children what their punishments were.

Of course that went over like a ton of bricks.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

The rest of my eighth grade year was boring and uneventful. It was May thirty-first and school was out. My birthday was in eighteen days and I couldn't wait. I would be thirteen! I had already made plans with my friends to go shopping at the mall together the day after my birthday. We would have done it on my birthday, but this year June seventeenth was not only my birthday, but also Father's Day. Dad and I had checked a calendar from two thousand five – the year I was born – and discovered that I was born on Father's Day. I really was a Daddy's Girl.

It was June sixteenth and I was sitting on my bed. This was my last night of being twelve, which was really kind of hard to wrap my head around. I did this every year. When I was younger, I wanted to be older. But now that I am older, I'm not so sure it I want to be older or younger. I think I might be happy with just staying twelve forever.

"Ella, can we talk for a minute?" Dad asked, coming into my room.

"Sure," I said.

"I promise I'll make it quick. I just have a question, actually. Did you make any plans with your friends before Wednesday?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm going to the mall with my friends on Tuesday. Why?" I asked.

"I was wondering because if you did, you will have to cancel them. We are doing a family thing tomorrow and Tuesday but you can do something with your friends Wednesday. Could you tell your friends that?" he asked.

"Are we going to Hawaii?" I asked, thinking of my birthday from a few years ago.

Dad chuckled. "No Sweetheart. We're going somewhere different that takes less time to get there. That is all I will say."

"Well goodnight. I have to sleep and try to figure out where it is we're going," I said.

He kissed my forehead.

"Sleep well, Baby Girl."

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**A/N: So yeah, this chapter is a little weird. You will find out in the next chapter what the Cullen teenagers did to get themselves into so much trouble. By the way, the song used in this chapter is "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood. Please review and vote on my poll. **


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait. It's been a crazy week, and I honestly haven't been in the mood to write. On the bright side, I did finish the outline for this entire story so it should come easily and quickly now. Thank you for sticking with me, and no, I am not dead.**

**Disclaimer: The only thing that is mine is this story, the rest goes to Stephanie Meyer.**

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**CHAPTER 33:**

**ROSALIE'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I paced my room while I waited for Dad to come and talk to me. Of course I had to wait until he was done talking to everyone else since I started the problem. I hated when Dad talked to me when I did something wrong. He wasn't even my real father, so what gave him the right to punish me? I knew that he would ground me, but I would ignore it. He has no control over me.

I thought back to the incident. It didn't really seem like that much of a big deal.

"_**Miss Cullen, electronics are to be off during school hours," Mr. Varner said sternly, standing in front of my desk as I played on my phone. **_

"_**So?" I challenged. **_

_**He gave me a look. "So I expect you to turn that off this instant."**_

"_**Well I'm not going to," I said. **_

"_**Then hand it over," he said. **_

"_**No, you aren't the boss of me," I said childishly. **_

"_**That's it. Go to Mr. Greene's office now!" he instructed angrily. **_

_**I stood up and stomped out of the room. I marched to the principal's office and knocked on the door. He invited me in, and he looked a little afraid when he saw me. **_

"_**What did you do this time, Rosalie?" he asked. **_

"_**I was just using my phone during class," I said like it was nothing. **_

"_**This is not the first time we have had issues with this kind of thing. You have had several warnings before, please give me your cell phone. You can come and get it after detention today," he said. **_

"_**No, I will not give you my phone and I will not do detention!" I said. **_

"_**All right, now you can have your parents come and get your cell phone after detention."**_

_**The bell rang indicating that it was time for lunch. **_

"_**Whatever." I said and walked out of the room, phone still in my hand. **_

_**I told my siblings about what happened at lunch. Then I convinced them to help me get revenge on Mr. Greene. When lunch was over, the four of us skipped class and headed to the office. Just as Alice foresaw, Mr. Greene wasn't there. We started gluing the porn posters to the wall when he walked in. He gasped at the sight.**_

"_**You are to take these down right now and sit in my office until the end of the day. Your parents will have to come and talk to me before you can leave," he said. **_

_**Emmett, Alice, and Jasper obeyed him and started ripping the posters off. I walked up to Mr. Greene and smacked him across the face. He then shoved me into a chair to wait. **_

_**Hours later, Mom arrived and Mr. Greene told her everything that had happened. She apologized before taking all of us outside. We got into our cars and drove home, where we were sent to our rooms. When Dad got home, he talked to everyone but me because I wouldn't listen. He just told me of the punishments and said that we would talk the night before Ella's birthday. **_

Now it was the night before Ella's birthday, and Dad was talking to everyone and telling them that their punishments were over. I was still pissed about the whole thing.

"Can I come in?" Dad asked.

"If I say no you'll come in anyway," I said.

Dad sighed and walked in. He sat down on my bed with a sigh.

"Come sit please," he said.

"I'll stand."

His eyes hardened slightly. "That wasn't a request, Rosalie."

I sighed and plopped down onto the bed next to him.

"Honey, we need to talk about this situation. Your punishment is over, but you never gave me the chance to talk to you about it. I have talked to everyone else, and they say you are the core of the problem. Even though the issue is gone and past, I figured you might like a chance to explain," he said.

"What's the point?" I asked.

"Sweetheart, the point is I want you to be heard. I want you to talk to me about things. These past few months you have shut me out and I don't like that. I gave you plenty of time to cool off, but now we need to discuss what happened. Yes, this did happen a while ago, but it unfortunately affects the future."

"How so?" I asked. I really hated this conversation.

"I have to find a different high school for you kids to go to next year. You are never allowed back on campus. I say that is a pretty big deal, don't you think so?" he asked.

"It's not like I can go back and change it," I muttered.

"I never said you could. All I want to do is talk to you about your previous actions so that we don't have a repeat," he said.

"I really messed up Dad. I was challenging Mr. Varner's authority just to see what he would do. I got really pissed at him and acted out. That landed me in the principal's office and I did more stuff that got me into more trouble. I learned from my mistake and I will not do it again," I said a little more softly.

Dad smiled approvingly. "That's my girl. It's okay to make mistakes, Kitty. I will always forgive you and I will never hold it against you. You know that, right?"

I nodded. "I do now."

"What does that mean?" Dad asked.

I sighed. "I didn't want to talk to you about it because I thought you'd be mad. I was already being punished for my actions, and I didn't want to add to it by telling you what I did. When coven leaders get mad, the person who made them mad gets limbs ripped off or they're killed."

Dad pulled up my chin and forced me to look at him. "You don't think of me as your father?"

"Well, I do, but you're a coven leader first. I know that we aren't the usual vampire coven, but we are still a coven. You're the leader, and I thought that you'd do what most other coven leaders do when someone makes them mad," I admitted.

Dad pulled me onto his lap and gave me a piercing look.

"Rosalie Lillian Cullen, you are my daughter. What could ever make you think that I would hurt you? You could make me madder than a Killer Bee and I'd never hurt you. I will always forgive you no matter what. I love you as if I was your sperm donator. However in your mind you came up with that ridiculous assumption, I will never understand. Get that out of your head," he said strongly.

He pulled me into a hug and squeezed me almost unbearably tight. We stayed like that for a few minutes before he pulled away. He stood up and took my phone out of his pocket.

"Use this properly," he said, handing it back to me.

"Can you send Emmett in?" I asked.

"Of course. I love you Kitty."

"I love you too, Dad."

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up at five in the morning with a severe stomach cramp. It was a painful pinch on the lower right side of my midsection. I pressed my hand into it in attempt to sooth the pain. It only made it worse. Tears rolled down my face and I felt like I was going to throw up. What a great way to start my birthday.

"**DAD!"** I screamed.

My door flew open and I felt cold hands on my arm.

"What's wrong Ella?" he asked.

"My stomach hurts!" I cried.

"Where?"

"Where my hand is," I said.

He moved my hand away and replaced it with his own. He pushed down causing me to scream in pain.

"Ella, I'm taking you to the hospital," Dad said, picking me up off my bed.

"**NO!"** I screamed.

He ignored me and carried me down to the car. I kept screaming as he started the car and drove out of the garage. He zipped down the road and turned onto the highway.

"**TAKE ME HOME! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY AND I WANT TO GO HOME!"** I screamed.

"Ella, calm down. We'll go home once you're better," he said.

"**WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?!"** I asked. I hadn't meant to scream, but I just hurt so badly.

"I think you have appendicitis. Don't worry though, it's not a big deal. This happens all the time," he said.

Dad carried me into the hospital. I was making a scene, kicking and screaming for him to put me down. I so did not want to be here.

"Prepare an operating room!" Dad ordered.

He took me into an exam room and laid me down on the bed. I tried to get up, but his hand held me firmly to the mattress. I carried on like it was the end of the world.

"**I DON'T WANT SURGERY!" **I screamed at him.

"Honey, it's the only way to make you better. I know it's scary, but you really have nothing to be afraid of. I will be doing it, and you know that you can trust me. I won't let anything happen to you, Sugar Plum Princess. You'll be asleep and you won't feel anything. It'll be over before you know it, I promise," he comforted me.

"Why does this have to happen on my birthday?" I sobbed.

"Things just happen, Sweetheart. You'll still get gifts and cake once we're done, I promise," he said.

"OR nine is ready," a nurse said.

"Thank you," Dad said. "Ready to go, Sweetie?"

"No, just get it over with," I cried.

This was the worst thing that has ever happened to me.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"I'm going to carry you in, okay?" I told my daughter.

She nodded and kept sobbing. I gently picked her up and carried her down the hall. This was just a horrible situation. Ella had to get surgery on her birthday. She was scared out of her mind and I would do my best to calm her. I would make this day special even though it was off to a bad start.

Ella's sobbing picked up once we entered the OR area. I had to scrub and gown before taking her in, but once we did go in, Ella was a mess. She was kicking and screaming and the staff was at a loss. Patients usually didn't come into the OR awake, so none of the staff had any experience with this kind of thing. I assumed that Ella was afraid of all the strange machinery that was in the room. Any person would be.

I laid her down on the table and had to hold her there. The techs were preparing and the anesthesiologist hadn't arrived yet. I decided that now would be a good time to tell her what was going on.

"Ella Sweetheart, can you listen to me for a minute please? I know that this is your first experience with surgery and you are afraid but there is nothing to worry about. I will do the operation and you trust me, right? The procedure you're getting is a basic, normal procedure. Lots of people get their appendix removed and their life goes on without any changes or complications from it. I'm going to tell you what the operation will consist of. Once the anesthesiologist gets here, he's going to put a mask on your face with some medicine that will make you fall asleep so you won't feel anything. Then I'm going to make a small incision in your tummy and use my fancy tools to take it out. Before you know it, you'll be waking up in no time. And the best part is your stomach won't hurt anymore once the pain from the operation goes away. The staff and I are here to answer any questions you may have, all right?" I asked. I hoped that my lengthy speech soothed her a little.

My efforts worked. Her breathing was slowing down and now tears gradually slipped down her cheeks. I kept wiping them away with my thumb. A nurse had come and taken Ella's hand. Everyone in the room was moving slowly and carefully as not to frighten the poor child. I loved how everyone here cared so much about the patients. I knew that I could trust any of these people to take care of my daughter.

"Hello Little One, I'm Dr. Stephens, your anesthesiologist. When you're ready, I'm going to put a mask over your face that will give you some air to fall asleep. I can flavor it too. Do you want mint, strawberry, or bubblegum?" he asked.

"Bubblegum," Ella cried.

"All right then Sweetheart, are you ready?" he asked.

Ella nodded. "I guess so."

Dr. Stephens put the mask over her face. He gently held it there until she fell asleep. He watched the monitors carefully.

"Whenever you're ready Dr. Cullen," he said.

I grabbed the first tool and prepared to begin. I kissed my daughter's forehead before making the small incision on her stomach. I winced when I saw the small amount of blood. Why did it seem so hard to perform a simple operation on my daughter?

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"Ella . . . Ella . . . Little Miss Ella. Are you okay?" a gentle voice asked.

I opened my eyes to see a smiling nurse standing before me. My stomach hurt and I was feeling very discombobulated. Tears started dripping down my face.

"Are you okay Sweetie?" she asked, stroking my hair gently.

I couldn't find my voice. I tried to pull my hand to my stomach so that she could see what was wrong but I couldn't move my arm. My wrists and ankles were bound to the bed. I looked down at my hand and gave the nurse a panicked look. She caught on quickly.

"All right. You can't seem to find your voice so I will untied one hand so you can show me. If you try to do anything, I'm going to bound it again, okay?" she said.

I nodded in understanding.

She carefully untied my right hand. I shook it out before pointing to my stomach. Tears were still rolling annoyingly down my face so I wiped those away too. I was in so much pain.

"Your stomach hurts?" she asked.

I nodded.

"Calm down Sweetie, it'll be okay. Let me go see if I can find your doctor and in the meantime your RN is going to give a little exam, all right? I'll be back in a minute," she said, leaving the room.

A male nurse in dark blue scrubs and a silver stethoscope loped around his neck walked in the door. He picked up the clipboard at the end of the bed and read it.

"Hello Ella my name is Josh and I'm your RN during your stay. Let me perform a basic exam and then I'll be here to help you if you need something or answer any questions you may have," he said.

Josh pulled his stethoscope from around his neck and held it to my chest. I tried to squirm away from the cold instrument but I wasn't able to move very much. Any movement having to do with my midsection hurt, so I basically had to be a statue. He took my temperature and blood pressure. He put the equipment away and came back over to me.

"One last thing and then we're done. I'm going to push on your abdomen. It may hurt a little bit because of your surgery but please tell me if it is anything more than mild discomfort," he said.

He pressed his hands to my abdomen causing an intake of breath and a pained shriek from me.

"Sorry Ella. I don't feel anything so the pain is just from your surgery. Would you like something for that?" he asked kindly.

"Yeah," I croaked.

"I'll be right back."

He came back a few minutes later with a syringe in hand. My heart started hammering.

"I don't want a shot," I cried.

"Honey this is going in your IV. I'm not even going to touch your skin, don't worry," he said.

Josh injected the medicine into the tube and I felt the pain ease instantly. Just then the nurse from before walked back in with Dad in tow. I was so glad to see him.

"Hello Sugar Plum Princess, how are you doing?" Daddy asked.

"Okay," I said.

"You'll be able to see Mom and everyone else in about a half hour. We just want to make sure you're stable before we try and move you," Dad said.

"Will you stay with me?" I asked.

"Of course."

It was quiet for a while. The three of them observed me as I looked around uncomfortably. I wanted Josh and the nurse Myra to leave, but I couldn't think of a nice way to tell them that. I needed to talk to Dad, but I didn't really want to in front of other people if it wasn't necessary. Besides, Dad was capable of taking care of me on his own.

"When can I go home?" I asked Dad.

"Well Honey, you just had surgery. The typical post-op hospital duration for appendectomy is twenty-four to forty-eight hours, so maybe a day or two until you can be released," Dad said.

"Seriously?" I groaned.

"I'm afraid so, Princess. I'll be here with you though," he said with a smile.

"But not at night," I mumbled.

Dad came closer to me and bent down in front of my face.

"If it makes you more comfortable, I will stay here every second until you are ready to go home," he said.

I smiled. "Thanks."

A while later, Dad wheeled me toward the Recovery Center where I would be for the rest of my stay. When we got there, I was greeted by my concerned family. As soon as I stopped moving, they all surrounded the bed.

"How are you Sweetie?" Mom asked.

"Fine," I sighed. Would people ever stop asking me if I was all right?

"What's wrong?" Dad asked.

"Nothing," I said with another sigh.

My family tried to talk to me and entertain me, but I just wasn't in the mood. At one point I asked everyone to leave so that I could sleep. Everyone left and it was just Dad and me. I had to convince him to leave me alone too. When the room was finally empty, I wasn't able to sleep. I just wanted to get out of this place.

Since Dad had to work, nurses checked on me periodically. Sometimes it was my RN Josh, and sometimes it was a random nurse. It was about four in the afternoon when a nurse poked her head in.

"You have a visitor, are you up for it?" she asked.

I nodded. Who could it be?

She stepped out to let a person into the room. I looked up and froze when I saw who it was.

"What the Hell are you doing here?"

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**A/N: Thanks for reading! Please review and vote on my poll!**


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Surprisingly, I don't have much to say this time. Enjoy Chapter 34!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga and I'm not Taylor Swift either. **

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**CHAPTER 34:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Dylan stood hesitantly in the doorway. There was an ashamed look on his face. His eyes combed over my form to assess my damage. Of course he wouldn't find anything since the only wound was a small incision on my stomach which was covered by a hospital gown and a blanket.

"Hello Ella," he said quietly.

I wasn't in the mood for friendly chat. "Why are you here Dylan?" I asked again, an agitated tone in my voice.

"Well, ever since we broke up, I've been . . . checking up on you through Facebook. Earlier today I saw your post that said "surgery sucks" and I got worried. Even though I made a dumb and ridiculous mistake that tore us apart, I still care about you Ella. I want you to give another chance. I've broken up with that other girl and I want you back. I realize what I'm missing, with you gone. I don't know why I thought she would be better, because no one could ever beat you. I love you and only you. I was stupid and I wasn't thinking. Just give me one more chance Ella, please," he begged.

I sighed. "Dylan, you had no reason to be worried. It was just appendicitis and I am not your concern anymore. You can say whatever mushy, lovey-dovey, oh how you were wrong and I am way more than her crap all you want but it's not going to fix anything. You broke my heart Dylan, and that hurts. Everything was perfect and then suddenly it all just, crashed. I need a man who is faithful to me, and that is obviously not you. Guys only get one chance with me, and you blew it. Go tell someone else your sob story because it's not gonna work on me. We are never getting back together Dylan, accept that."

Dylan seemed to be at a loss for words. This seemed to go the opposite way of what he wanted it to. I couldn't take Dylan back, I just knew I couldn't. I couldn't trust him after what he did. I couldn't feel safe with him. I just wanted him to get out of my life and I never wanted to see him again. I was just getting over him, but now the scars of love were being ripped open.

"Get out Dylan, I don't want you here," I told him.

"Get better," he said as his departing words.

As soon as he left, I started crying. I just wanted to heal from this gruesome wound called first breakup. He was making that extremely hard. These past few months he had been texting me and leaving me voicemail messages. I had ignored them and just continued on with my life. It had gotten easier every day, but now I had to start the healing process all over again.

I didn't notice when Dad walked into the room.

"Ella, are you okay Baby Girl?" he asked.

"No," I sobbed.

"What hurts?" he asked, coming to my side.

"My heart," I choked out.

"What?"

"Dylan came," I explained.

Dad's eyes darkened a few shades. "What did he say to you?"

"He told me how sorry he was, and that he made a big mistake. He wants to get back together, but I told him that would never happen. I was just starting to get over him, but now I have to try all over again!" I cried.

Dad carefully wrapped his arms around me. "I'm so sorry Honey, what can I do?"

"There isn't anything you can do. Nothing can fix this!" I sobbed.

"You will heal in time," Dad said.

I pulled back away from him.

"Dad, you don't understand. It's been _six months_ since he cheated and we broke up, but I'm still not healed. Shouldn't I be over this by now? I mean, we weren't even that serious."

"Princess, I'm sorry to tell you that I don't know how to help you in this situation. Relationships are hard, and it takes a lot of dedication to keep them strong. That wasn't the case for you and Dylan, so maybe it wasn't meant to be. You're young, you'll find the love of your life when it's the right time," he said.

"But how do I get over him? I can't live like this," I said.

"Ella, do you think talking to someone about it would help? There are physiatrists that specialize in things like this. They know ways to help people through their relationship problems. Would you like me to set an appointment with one?" Dad asked.

"I don't want to be one of those kids who need special help with their problems," I cried.

"Sweetheart, everybody needs help sometimes. I can take care of any physical wounds, but I am at a loss for mental wounds. You have had a really difficult life in so many ways; maybe talking to a professional would help you. Not only with your relationship, but also with your past," he said.

"But I'm _over_ my past," I said.

"Still, it may help with other things to talk about it."

"Fine, I'll do one session. But if I don't like it, I'm quitting, okay?" I said.

Dad nodded. "I'll find you the best."

I leaned into him. "I know you will."

I was able to go home the next morning. I was doing fine and since my father was my doctor, no one really had a say in the matter. Dad was also taking the day off from work to stay home with me. I really didn't think that he needed to, but there was nothing I could do to change his mind. In my heart, I was truly grateful that he was staying with me. It showed that he really cares about me a lot, which is a good thing.

Two weeks later when I was completely healed from my surgery, Dad scheduled my first therapy session. It was an hour and a half away in Olympia. The appointment was at three o'clock, and it was almost one-thirty now. I didn't want to go, and Mom and Dad were trying to convince me to get in the car.

"Honey, just try it. If you don't like it, you don't have to do it ever again," Mom said.

"I don't want to go!" I cried.

"She may be able to help you. You wouldn't want to miss out on that kind of chance, would you?" Dad asked.

"What if she just makes me worse?" I asked.

"I seriously doubt that will happen," Dad said.

"Ella, it's almost one-thirty. We have to go," Mom said.

"**I'M NOT GOING!" **I screamed at her.

"Ella, do you want just your mother to go with you? I will stay home if it helps," Dad offered.

I just broke down and kept sobbing. Why couldn't they just understand that I didn't want to do this at all?

Dad picked me up and carried me to the car. I carried on and thrashed in his arms, but he put me into the backseat anyway. He threw the keys to Mom and climbed in the back with me.

"Ella, can you listen to me for a minute please?" he asked gently.

"What?" I sobbed.

"Honey, I know you don't want to go. Mom and I both understand that. We don't force you to do a lot of things, but this we are going to push you into a little bit. We are both confident that this will help you, and maybe you aren't seeing it. We could be wrong, but the least we can do is try. You're not happy living like this, are you? What if you are able to get rid of that problem by doing this? We're not telling you that you have to do this until you are healed, we're asking you to give it a chance. If it doesn't work and you don't like it, then we'll try something else. Just do this one session, all right?"

"O-Okay," I sobbed.

Dad reached over and hugged me. "That's my girl."

"Will you both stay with me the whole time?" I asked.

They shared a look in the rearview mirror.

"We'll stay for most of it, but there might be a time where it will be just you and the doctor. We'll be in the building though, nonetheless," Dad said.

I looked down. I wanted them with me for every second.

"What Dad's trying to say is that you may not be comfortable telling the doctor some things when we're around. We'll be there as long as you need us," Mom promised.

"If I'm not comfortable with telling you about certain things, how am I supposed to tell a stranger?" I asked.

Dad smiled. "That's the funny thing about therapy. Sometimes you're more comfortable with telling a stranger about your problems versus your own family."

"What can I tell her?" I asked.

"You can talk to her about anything you want to except for the vampire things. You're going to have to find a vampire therapist for those issues," Dad said with a smile.

"Yes, I will because God knows that most of my issues are caused by knucklehead vampires," I said with a smirk.

Dad snorted. "I see that you're back to your old self."

A few minutes later, we arrived at the office. It was a small redbrick building. We walked inside to a small and cozy reception area. We were greeted by a lady at the desk.

"Welcome, how can I help you?" she asked pleasantly.

"I have an appointment scheduled for my daughter, Ella Cullen," Dad said.

The lady checked her records.

"Ah yes. Go ahead and sit in the waiting area. Dr. Lawrence will be with you shortly," she said.

Mom, Dad, and I sat on one of the soft couches. My heart was hammering and my palms were sweating. Dad stretched his arm around Mom and me. Neither of us spoke.

About ten minutes later, a young woman wearing an emerald knee-length skirt that matched her eyes and a black blouse walked up to the three of us.

"Hello! I'm Dr. Sandra Lawrence! You must be Ella Cullen, correct?" she greeted.

"Yeah that's me," I said glumly.

My parents introduced themselves and shook hands with the doctor. She asked them a few basic questions about me before turning her attention to me.

"Well Honey, are you ready to come talk to me?" she asked.

"Can my parents come with me?" I asked.

"If you're more comfortable with them around, then yes," she said.

We stood up and followed her back to her office. She sat down at her computer and gestured for us to sit in the chairs that were arranged in front of her desk.

"All right, the first thing I'm going to do is enter you into the system. While I enter your information, I need you to fill this out for me," she said, handing me a form and a pen.

I looked down at the long sheet of questions. With a sigh, I began to fill them out.

FULL NAME: _**Ella Dixie Cullen**_

AGE: _**13**_

BIRTHDAY: _**June 17**_

YEAR: _**2005**_

LIVES WITH: _**Adoptive father, mother, and 5 siblings**_

MEDICAL CONDITIONS: _**None, other than an appendectomy**_

MENTAL CONDITIONS: _**None that I know of, but you'll probably find something wrong with me **_

EXPLAIN BRIEFLY WHY YOU ARE HERE: _**I'm having relationship issues with my ex-boyfriend and I have a bad past**_

I gave the sheet back to Dr. Lawrence and went back to slouching in my chair. A few minutes later, the typing stopped and Dr. Lawrence stood up.

"All right. Your information is entered so I think we are ready to go," she said.

We followed her out and down the hallway to a room that had four couches surrounding a coffee table. It kind of reminded me of Dad's office at the hospital.

"I'm going to ask the two of you to leave," she told Mom and Dad.

"No," I said before they could respond.

"We'll just be in the reception area," Dad said pushing Mom out the door before she could try to convince the doctor to let them stay.

"Have a seat Ella," the doctor said. I sat down on the couch across from her.

"Why can't my parents be with me?" I asked.

"Typically therapy sessions are between just the doctor and the patient. If your parents were any help, you wouldn't have to be here, now would you?" she said pointedly.

I stood up. "Are you saying that my parents aren't taking good care of me?"

"Well obviously. If they were taking good care of you, you wouldn't have issues that would need a therapist. You're parents look way too young and irresponsible. If I know one thing about this –"

"You don't know anything about me!" I yelled and stormed out of the room. I ran down the hallway out to the reception area where Mom and Dad were waiting. They looked surprised to see me.

"I want to go home!" I cried, throwing myself into Dad's waiting arms.

"What happened Sweetie?" Mom asked, alarmed.

"Dr. Lawrence is a bitch," I cried. I was glad no one was around, that would have been embarrassing.

"Ella, don't use that kind of language," Dad said softly.

"Well she is!" I exclaimed.

"How so?" Dad asked.

"She said that you guys didn't look old enough to be my parents and that you were irresponsible. She said that if you were taking good care of me, I wouldn't have issues. Then she tried to tell me something about this situation. She doesn't know anything about me!" I cried.

My parents didn't know what to say. Dad just rubbed my back and waited for me to calm down.

"Can we go home now?" I sniffed.

"Of course," Dad said.

We walked out to the car. Dad drove home this time and Mom cuddled with me in the backseat. I cried the entire way home. The three of us would have the house to ourselves for the next four weeks. Emmett and Rosalie were in Paris, Jasper and Alice were taking a cruise through the Caribbean, and Edward and Bella were visiting Bella's mom in Florida. I was glad that no one was here to see me like this.

Once we were inside, Mom went to work making me vegetable soup while Dad took me upstairs to my room to talk to me about the therapy disaster. We sat on my bed and he pulled me close.

"I am so sorry that therapy didn't go well, Baby Girl," he said.

"It's not your fault," I said.

"I just don't understand. Her rating was great," Dad said. He sounded very distraught.

"She really upset me. You and Mom are the best parents anyone could ever imagine," I said.

Dad smiled. "Thank you Sweetheart, that means a lot to me but we are talking about you right now. What would you like me to do about the situation?"

I sighed. "I don't know. I don't have to go back there, do I?"

"Of course not. Look, I know that this first experience with therapy wasn't too great, but would you be willing to try it again? There are plenty more therapists out there," Dad said.

I shook my head. "I don't want to try therapy again. This past week, I've actually been looking up ways to deal with stress and bad situations. I found a few that sound like they may help, and I want to try them. If none of them work, maybe I'll give therapy another shot. I'm just not ready right now," I said.

"That's fine. Let me know if you need help with anything, okay Sugar Plum Princess?"

I nodded.

He hugged me. "I love you."

"I love you too Daddy," I said.

After eating Mom's delicious soup, I grabbed a piece of paper and the acoustic guitar Edward had given me a few Christmases ago. I went out to my balcony and sat down on the stone floor. I stroked the strings and put my current thoughts into a song.

**I'm eight years old  
It's getting cold  
I've got my big coat on**

**I hear your laugh**  
**And look up smiling at you**  
**I run and run**

**Past the pumpkin patch**  
**And the tractor rides**  
**Look now - the sky is gold**  
**I hug your legs and fall asleep**  
**On the way home**

**I don't know why all the trees change in the fall**  
**I know you're not scared of anything at all**  
**Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away**  
**But I know I had the best day**  
**With you today**

**I'm thirteen now**  
**And don't know how my friends**  
**Could be so mean**

**I come home crying and you hold me tight and grab the keys**

**And we drive and drive**  
**Until we've found a town**  
**Far enough away**

**And we talk and window-shop**  
**Until I've forgotten all their names**

**I don't know who I'm gonna talk to**  
**Now at school**  
**I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you**  
**Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay**  
**But I know I had the best day**  
**With you today**

**I have an excellent father**  
**His strength is making me stronger**  
**God smiles on my little brother**  
**Inside and out**  
**He's better than I am**

**I grew up in a pretty house**  
**And I had space to run**  
**And I had the best days with you**

**There is a video**  
**I found from back when I was nine**  
**You set up a paint set in the kitchen**  
**And you're talking to me**

**It's the age of princesses and pirate ships**  
**And the seven dwarfs**  
**Daddy's smart**  
**And you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world**

**Now I know why all the trees change in the fall**  
**I know you were on my side**  
**Even when I was wrong**  
**And I love you for giving me your eyes**  
**Staying back and watching me shine**

**And I didn't know if you knew**  
**So I'm taking this chance to say**  
**That I had the best day**  
**With you today**

I wrote down the lyrics and came up with a title. I called it Best Day.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Today had been a hard day for everyone. I had planned on therapy going well for Ella, but I think Dr. Lawrence upset her more than Dylan or her past ever could. All I wanted was for my daughter to be happy, was that too much to ask?

"Carlisle, stop stressing. You did what you thought was best," Esme said, putting her hand on my shoulder as she joined me on the front porch.

"I just don't understand. Dr. Sandra Lawrence was given the "Best Therapist In Washington" award this year," I said.

"Well, diplomas and awards don't always mean they're the best. Just give Ella some time and she'll figure out what she needs," my wife said.

"True. I'm just starting to doubt my judgment skills or lack thereof," I said.

"Oh Carlisle, don't be ridiculous. Everyone makes mistakes, even the Great Carlisle Cullen," my wife snickered.

I sighed. "I don't feel the "Great" anymore."

"You still have it. Trust me," she said.

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. We stayed like that and just stared off into the darkening sky. Out of nowhere, the strumming of a guitar broke the peaceful silence. It was followed by Ella's beautiful voice.

Esme and I stared at each other and smiled as we listened to the lyrics of the song. It was beautiful and by the end, we both had tears in our eyes.

"Looks like we have ourselves a little popstar," I said.

* * *

**A/N: Please review and vote on my poll! Thanks for reading! :)**


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: This is probably one of my favorite chapters yet. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own the errors, that's about it.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 35:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up the next morning unsure of what would happen today. My siblings were gone, and it was summer vacation. My friends were busy doing things with their families and I didn't really want to hang out with them anyway. I was still feeling down from yesterday's horrible events.

I went downstairs in my pajamas and found my parents sitting on the couch in the living room. They were both smiling and sounded cheerful. They were talking too quickly for me to understand what they were saying, but they sounded excited. About what, I had no idea. I interrupted them by crawling in-between them on the couch.

"Good morning Sweetie!" Mom said.

"Did you sleep well?" Dad asked.

"Good morning and yes, I did. What do you guys seem so happy about?" I asked.

"Oh, we were just talking about how your birthday wasn't much of an event," Mom said brightly.

"O-kay?" I said. Why was she happy about that?

"We were discussing what we should do to make up for that. Since your siblings are gone and we couldn't throw much of a party, we were thinking of taking you somewhere for a few days. Your mother thought London would be a nice escape," Dad said.

"Awesome! I get to go somewhere for my birthday?! Wait, why London?" I asked.

Dad gave me a look like the answer was really obvious. Had I missed something?

"What?" I asked him.

He continued to stare at me. Then I had a dawn-of-realization.

"Dawn of realization! Ohhhhhhhhhhh! You were born in London, and you want to show me your hometown?" I asked.

"Gee, noooooo. That couldn't be it at all," he said sarcastically.

I stuck out my tongue. He tried to pinch it, but I pulled it back in before he could.

"So we're really going to London?" I asked.

"If you want to," Dad said.

"Sure, it could be my birthday and summer vacation all rolled into one. Of course I wouldn't mind doing them separate, just saying," I said.

"When do you want to go?" Mom asked.

"Hmm, let me think. NOW!" I said.

"I'll go see what flights are available," Dad said, walking off to his study to get his laptop. He came back with his Mac laptop in his hands.

He sat down and pulled up the Delta website. His fingers flew across the keyboard as he searched for available flights.

"Okay. We can get a flight out of Seattle International Airport to the John F. Kennedy International Airport, which is a five and a half hour flight, a two hour layover there, and then an eight hour flight to London Heathrow International Airport," Dad said.

Of course he had to mention how long it would take.

"What time is our flight out of here?" Mom asked.

"One o'clock today," Dad answered.

"I better go start packing. How long are we staying there for?" I asked.

"How does five full days sound?" Dad asked.

"Sure!" I said.

With a few more clicks of the mouse, we had our tickets. I went up to my room to pack. Angel started prancing around when I got my suitcase down from my closet.

"I'll only be gone for a week," I told her.

She whined and lay down on top of the suitcase before I could open it.

"C'mon Angel, don't be like this. You're just going to Doggy Daycare, you've been there before."

She still didn't move. Dad came to get her and actually had to pick her up to put her in the car. I quickly packed everything I would need and zipped it up. I grabbed my carryon bag and put my iPad, phone, and makeup into it. I got dressed and ran downstairs with my suitcase in tow.

We got in the car and drove off toward Doggy Daycare. After dropping Angel off, we were on our way to the airport.

"What is there to do in London?" I asked.

"Honey, it's the best city in the world. One of the musts is showing you a few things from my human time. There's also a lot of shopping places. And for the love of God, it's the capital of England and the United Kingdom! There's Buckingham Palace, London Eye, Big Ben, Thames River, Madame Tussauds, Tower of London, London Dungeon, London Bridge, London Zoo, Westminster Abbey, all sorts of things! Don't you know anything about basic culture?!" he exclaimed. His accent was starting to slip by the third attraction.

"Dad, accent," I reminded him.

"Dang flabbit!" he said, his accent even stronger than before. I burst out laughing.

"So do you think you could pull some strings to let me meet the queen? And Prince William?" I asked, only half joking.

"You never know," he said, his accent perfectly hidden now.

We arrived at the airport and went through customs. We actually had to run a little bit to get to our flight on time. We were among the last people to board. Our seats were first-class, of course. It was decided that Mom would sit by me on the way to New York, and Dad would sit by me on the way to London. It was hilarious at how they fought over who got to sit by me first.

"I can't believe that I'm actually going to London!" I exclaimed to Mom.

She smiled. "It's your first time out of the country, isn't it?"

"Yeah! Wait . . . well, you remember –"

"I don't care to," she interrupted.

Going to Italy a few months ago was a sore subject with everyone in my family. It had almost been my death, and everlasting sadness for everyone else in my family. Dad probably would have died too, fighting for my life. It was a memory that all of us wished we could forget.

"Have you been to London before?" I asked.

"Yes, but only once many years ago," Mom answered. "Everyone in the family has been there before. It's an important part of our family history. Not to mention it also has some of the greatest tourist places in the world."

"Tell me about London. What's it like?" I asked.

"It's one of the most amazing places I've ever seen. It's a very majestic and old city, very beautiful. The weather is cooler, but it's still nice. There are lots of fun thing to do as well. For example, you could just be walking down the street and find a jewelry boutique. And then not far from that would be Buckingham Palace. Things aren't in any particular place for any particular reason, they're just there. You never get bored," she said.

"Sounds like my kind of place," I said.

Mom smiled. "I'm sure you'll love it.

I busied myself with my iPad for the rest of the flight. One of the many reasons why I hated flying so much is because I always get bored out of my mind. You are confined to a seat for a long period of time. It wasn't so bad when I could sleep, but, like right now, I usually couldn't because we flew in the daytime. It would be nice if they had in-flight entertainment. A dancing penguin would be cool.

"We're almost to New York City," Mom said.

I felt the air pressure in the cabin change. We were descending. The city was illuminated like a billboard, making the skyscrapers stand out like spears in the night sky. We flew past the Statue of Liberty, which looked so cool. Maybe sometime my parents would take me on a vacation here so we could tour the city. I would have to suggest that to them.

I stumbled off the plane and almost crashed into Dad who was a few feet in front of me. I was usually a graceful person, but flying always made me clumsy. Maybe it was because I was literally out of my element.

"Do we have time to look around the city a little bit?" I asked.

"I'm afraid not Sweetie Pie. If we left, we'd have to come right back and go through security and run to the gate to catch our flight. Maybe we'll take a trip here sometime," Dad said.

"Damn," I sighed.

"Language," Dad reprimanded softly.

"Sorry," I muttered.

Dad put his arm around me. "What has you so down? Do you really want to see the city that bad? I might be able to schedule another flight that leaves a little later than this one."

"No, it's not that. I'm just still a little sour from yesterday," I explained.

"Do you need to talk about it again?" Dad asked.

"No I'm okay. It's behind me now," I said.

"Glad to hear. Don't be afraid to talk about it though if you need to," he said.

"I'll keep that in mind."

We approached the gate and sat down to wait. Mom and Dad tried to coax me into eating something, but I really wasn't hungry. To appease them, I went to the bathroom and then to the vending machine to get a cookie, which I picked at and threw the crumbs on the floor. They didn't seem to notice. Well, Dad did eventually because there was a pile of light brown crumbs at his feet. He stood up and motioned for me to get up too.

"We'll be back in a minute Esme," he said.

It took a while, but Dad eventually found a quiet corner with no one around. He cupped my face in his hands and looked into my eyes.

"What's wrong, Sweetheart?" he asked.

"Nothing," I said and a tear slipped down my cheek.

"I don't believe you," he said.

I didn't answer. A few more tears trickled down my face and pooled in his hands.

His gold eyes burned into mine. "Honey I can't read your mind. Tell me what's wrong so I can help you."

"Nothing's wrong," I cried.

"Ella, it's obvious something is up. Do you want to tell your mother instead of me?" he asked.

"No. I don't want to tell anybody!" I said. The tears were flowing freely down my face.

Dad wiped the tears from my face and corners of my eyes. His soft gaze hardened a little bit.

"Tell me," he commanded.

For a few minutes, all I could do was sob into his dark blue sweater. He kept me in his tight embrace and swayed back and forth, trying to calm me. I eventually calmed down with his scent and comforting presence.

"There's something wrong with me!" I sobbed.

"What is it Honey?" he asked.

I did NOT want to tell him. If I did, we probably wouldn't be able to go on vacation. Or if we did, it would be spent in a hospital.

"I-I'm b-b-bleeding," I choked out.

"What?! Where?" he asked. His voice was panicked.

"My . . ." I trailed off. It was just too scary and embarrassing.

Dad's eyebrows furrowed for a second, but then they quickly relaxed and he gave me an easy smile.

"I think I know what's going on," he said.

"What? Do I need to go to the hospital?" I panicked.

Dad shook his head and smiled lightly. "No Sweetheart, there's something I've neglected to explain to you."

"What?" I asked.

"Honey, you have your menstrual cycle," Dad said.

"My _what_?" I asked. That didn't sound good.

"Menstrual cycle, also known as your period or "that time of the month." Does that ring a bell?" he asked.

"No," I answered.

Dad smiled yet again. Why did he keep smiling? He took my hand and brought me back to the gate where Mom was waiting. He whispered something into her ear and handed her some cash. She faced me and smiled. What was up with the smiling? Seriously?! Couldn't they see that I was practically having a panic attack?

"Come with me Sweetie," Mom said.

We walked to one of the stores inside the airport. Mom bought a few boxes of things called pads. She took me into the bathroom and came into the stall with me. She opened one of the boxes and pulled out a pink square. She opened it to reveal a white material with a sticky back. She told me to pull down my pants and once I did, she stuck it to my underwear.

"There we go," she said.

I pulled my panties back up.

"Ugh, it feels like there's toilet paper in there," I muttered.

She snickered. "It's a pad. It absorbs the blood so it doesn't show. You'll want to change it every three to four hours."

Simple instructions. We left the bathroom and went back to sit by Dad. Sitting felt kinda weird, but I got used to the feeling. Dad said that he would explain it on the plane when we were surrounded by less people.

"How long do we have left to wait?" I asked.

"About fifteen minutes, so not much. Are you sure you don't want anything to eat?" Dad asked.

"For the millionth time; I'm fine! Besides, they give out cute little bags of pretzels on the plane anyway," I said.

Dad rolled his eyes. We set up our phones to play Go Fish while we waited for the plane. Mom was talking to Alice telling her where we were going. Just when Dad was about to kick my butt at Go Fish, our flight number was called. I grabbed my carryon and followed Dad onto the huge plane. It was nicer than the one on the way here since this one was international. We found our seats quickly and about twenty minutes later we started rolling out to the runway. It was really bumpy at first, so I squeezed Dad's hand for dear life. I still couldn't get the image of falling in a death spiral toward the ground out of my head. My siblings made fun of me for my fear of flying, but I didn't think it was that funny.

Once the ride smoothed out and I was able to relax, Dad explained the menstrual cycle to me. Some of it I found was very disturbing, but every girl went through it. It was kind of embarrassing that Dad was the one explaining it to me, but I didn't exactly want Mom shouting across the aisle either. Okay, I just didn't want to talk about it period. No pun intended.

"Honey, you should try to get some sleep," Dad said.

"But I'm not tired," I whined childishly.

He turned his whole body towards me and raised his eyebrows. "Really Ella?"

I giggled. He sighed and rubbed his temples with his thumb and middle finger.

"Are you getting a my-brain headache?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm getting a your-brain headache," he said.

"Dad, seriously, why are you trying to get me to sleep? I slept good last night," I said.

"Well, when we get to London it will be around two in the afternoon. I don't think you want to have to sleep right away when we get there, so I suggest taking a little nap now," he said.

"I'll be fine," was my rational response.

"Of course you will," he muttered.

"Daddy?"

"What?"

"I love you," I said.

It worked. His posture relaxed and his demeanor became softer.

"I love you to Princess," he said with a smile.

I relaxed into the seat to endure the long flight. I got out my iPad and played Angry Birds. I was in the middle of that when it started to get really, really bumpy. I panicked and grabbed onto Dad's arm.

"It's okay Honey, we've been over this before," he said.

"I still don't like it," I said.

Dad pulled up the armrest between our seats and slid me closer to him. He laid me down on the seat so that my head was in his lap. He secured his arm around me and rubbed my back in comforting circles.

"Better?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you Daddy," I said, snuggling closer to him.

Despite my efforts, I did end up falling asleep. Dad woke me up towards the end of the flight.

"I thought you weren't tired," he said.

We landed in London and went straight to baggage claim. Once we got our suitcases we headed outside into the cool air. It was about sixty degrees, so not a big difference from Seattle. We got into a cab and drove to the Sofitel, the hotel we were staying at. Just from the outside, I could tell that it was a fancy, five-star hotel. The tall majestic building was surrounded by a beautiful garden. Even though the sky was hidden by a blanket of clouds, the sun seemed to be shining in this particular area.

The room we had was beautiful. There were two separate bedrooms – both of which contained balconies – a huge bathroom, a Jacuzzi, a small kitchen, and a living room area. The walls were a peach color, and the floor was white carpet. I went to my bedroom and started unpacking immediately. My parents had one rule for vacation, which I thought was really quite odd. Everything had to be unpacked and put away before going out to have fun. It made sense, I guess. The sooner I unpacked, the sooner I would get to go out to see the city.

I finished unpacking and wandered into Mom and Dad's room. They were done, of course. They were standing out on the balcony looking out at the view. The curtains were closed in my room, so I didn't get to see the view yet.

"Hi Mom and Dad," I said, joining them on the balcony.

"Hello Sweetheart, have you finished unpacking?" Dad asked.

"Yeah," I said.

"Look! We can see Big Ben from our balconies," Mom said.

I walked up to the railing of the balcony. We were pretty high up. I noticed that a lot of the buildings in London were tall and narrow. Well, they weren't just like that in London; they were like that all over Europe. There was a steady stream of people walking down the street, though they looked like ants from up here. The city looked so exciting and fun.

"Are we just going to stand here and look at the view or are we actually going to go do stuff?" I asked impatiently.

"Simmer down Girl, we've got plenty of time," Dad said.

"What do you want to do?" Mom asked.

"I don't know. You two are my tour guides, what fun stuff is there to do?" I asked.

"Well, if you want to, I could show you a few places from my childhood," Dad said.

"Might as well get the history lesson over with on the first day," I muttered.

Mom laughed. "I think you'll enjoy it, I did."

"Sure, why not," I said.

We left the hotel and walked out into the busy streets. People were running around snapping pictures and a constant chatter filled the air. The city seemed to be so happy and lighthearted, even with the gray weather. We walked for quite some time. I noticed the buildings getting farther and farther apart and there were less people around too. I didn't think there'd be a quiet part of London.

"Dad, are you sure you know where you're going? There's, like, nothing around here," I said.

Dad snorted. "Oh please, I know this place like the back of my hand."

"I hope you've taken a careful look at the back of your hand recently," I muttered almost too quietly for him to hear.

"Oh hush. Here we are," he said.

I looked up to see a large chapel that had crumbled to the ground, only half of it was still standing. A part of the cross at the top had broken off, and pieces of wall were lying on the ground. Dad yanked the mortar doors that had probably been closed for decades and opened up to a beautiful church.

The inside was in much better shape than the outside. The stained-glass windows let in colorful light, the broken wooden pews were lined up in neat rows, the floor was made of gray stones, and up on the platform, just behind where a preacher would stand, stood a giant wooden cross.

"It's so beautiful," I whispered.

"It hasn't changed from the time my father built it. He wanted it to be beautiful since faith and religion are beautiful. I remember when the stained-glass windows were put in, and I carved that cross myself," Dad said.

"You did?" I asked.

"Yes. It was the last gift I ever gave my father," Dad said.

I walked up to it and trailed my fingers along the silky wood. It was just as smooth as I imagined it would be. There weren't any scuffs or indentations, it was in perfect condition.

"This is my first time in a church," I said.

"Is that so?" Dad asked.

"Yeah. It feels so . . . I don't know, holy?" I said.

Dad smiled. "That's typically what a church is supposed to feel like."

I gazed around me in wonder. I had never given religion or faith much thought. I knew the basics of it. I knew that God was the Creator, and that you were supposed to worship him, but I didn't know what it was about exactly. I realized now that this was something I should have asked Dad about a long time ago.

"Come here Ella," Dad said.

I walked over to where he was standing by a large bowl. I peered inside it and saw a tiny puddle of water. I gave Dad a confused look. I was about to ask what it was for when Dad dipped his fingers in it.

"In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit may you be welcomed into the Home of God," Dad said, making a cross on my forehead with the water.

"What was that?" I asked.

"You were just baptized," Dad said.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you are now officially a part of God's family," he said.

I felt strange. I didn't know what any of this meant, but now I felt like I belonged somewhere. I kinda felt like God was watching me. Strange, strange feeling.

"Can I go outside?" I asked.

"Yes, just don't leave the area," Dad said.

I went outside into the graveyard that was next to the church. I had never been in one before, and I wanted to know what it was like. I walked past many gravestones and tried to read the names that were carved on them. Some of them looked like they could be centuries old. They probably were.

There was a gravestone that seemed out of place. It was at the edge, away from all the other graves. This one was surprisingly easier to read. I bent down and squinted to read the words. After staring at it for a while, I was able to make out what it said.

IN MEMORY OF CARLISLE CULLEN: HIS BODY MAY NOT BE HERE, BUT HIS SPIRIT WILL FOREVER BE SEEN IN HEAVEN

It was kinda creepy to see Dad's gravestone and know that he was walking around not too far away. I picked up a nearby stick and drew a heart where the grave would be. I got up and walked away.

I came to two gravestones that were really close to each other. These were nearly impossible to read, but I was able to make out the names on each of them.

CHARLES CULLEN. LUELLA CULLEN.

I realized that these were Dad's parents, my grandfather and grandmother. Six feet under me were the people who had created the person who had saved my life. I spotted a lone yellow tulip a few feet away. I picked it and walked back over to my grandparents' graves. I knelt down on the ground in front of them.

"Thank you for giving me my Daddy," I said and laid the tulip in-between the stones.

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**A/N: I hope you liked it! Please review, favorite, and follow this story. Don't forget to vote on my poll. Thanks for reading! :-)**


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait. Finals for college were hard and I was cramming to study. The good news is I now have the whole summer to write! Thank you for all of your wonderful reviews. Please continue to do that because they help me write! Enjoy Chapter 36.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight and, again, I am not Taylor Swift. **

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**CHAPTER 36:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"Ready to go, Buddy?" Dad asked, coming up behind me.

"Yeah," I said, standing up.

The three of us left the church and continued down the road. The differences between the London now and the London from centuries ago were incredible. I kind of liked how they had kept some of it original. We were soon back at the city center that was blooming with life. It was around four-thirty, so had plenty of time to go to at least one more place. I tried to decide where to go, but there were just so many things that I couldn't decide. Mom was happy with whatever, and Dad didn't care as long as he got his fill of London.

"Have you decided where you want to go yet?" Dad asked.

"Hmm . . . could we check out the dungeon?" I asked.

"Sure! We're not too far away from it anyway."

While we were on our way to the dungeon, Dad's phone rang.

"Hello?" he answered.

I couldn't make out the words, but the voice on the other end sounded panicked and worried.

"What?!" Dad asked.

"Alice are you sure . . .?" Dad began.

There was a long pause while Dad listened into the phone.

"We're on the next flight home. Don't worry Honey, I'll be there as soon as possible," Dad said comfortingly, but his voice was strained.

Dad snapped his phone shut and dragged Mom and me by the arm to a secluded area.

"What's going on Carlisle?" Mom asked.

"Alice had a vision of the Volturi coming for us while we're here. She saw us leaving to go to Seattle, and them following. They're after us to kill," Dad said.

"Why? What happened?" Mom asked.

"Alice can't see the reason. All she can see if us standing in the clearing being slaughtered," Dad whispered.

My heart skipped a beat. This was all my fault.

"I'm so sorry," I cried.

"What are you talking about?" Dad asked, taking a few steps to stand by me.

"I know why the Volturi are mad," I said.

"Why?" Dad asked concernedly.

"B-Because I told someone the secret," I sobbed.

"You did WHAT?" Dad asked, disbelieving.

"It's true. On the second date with Dylan, I told him what you guys were. I really thought that he'd be with me forever, and I figured that telling him sooner just to get it over with would be easier. He thought I was crazy and didn't believe me. I'm not sure if I convinced him or not, but I did tell him what you are," I admitted.

"Ella, why would you do such a thing?" Mom asked. She didn't sound mad, just shocked.

"Like I said, I really thought that we'd be together forever," I cried.

"That still doesn't explain how the Volturi found out," Dad said.

"After we got back from Italy, I'd realized that I'd made a huge mistake. I wanted to talk to someone about it, but I didn't want to tell you guys because I didn't want to get in trouble. Dad, I went through the contact list on your phone and found Irina's number. I figured I'd call her because she would be the least likely to repeat it, or so I'd thought. Turns out I was very wrong," I sobbed.

Dad knelt in front of me and pulled me to the ground with him. He sat me on the pavement and looked into my eyes.

"Why would you be afraid to tell me something?" he asked softly.

"I already told you, I didn't want you to be mad," I said.

"What have I always told you?" he asked.

"About what?"

"About me being mad."

"I don't know," I said.

"I told you that I could never be mad at you. Disappointed, yes, but never mad at you. Ella, you are my beloved daughter. No matter what you do, I will never be angry at you. Maybe I will be angry at something you did, but never angry at you," Dad said.

"What's the difference?" I asked.

"You may not see it, but I do. Sweetheart, you are never a problem or a disappointment. Your actions maybe, but you could never be a disappointment in my eyes. You are a pure gift, one that I am very thankful for. My pool of love and patience and understanding for you is miles wide and a bottomless pit. How do I get that into your head? What do I need to do?"

"I don't deserve that Daddy. I made a huge mistake that's possibly costing everyone their lives," I sobbed.

"Ella, I would die for you. You are something that words can't describe, and nothing could EVER take that away. I don't love you any less than anyone else in the family," he said strongly.

"I feel like I'm falling apart!" I cried.

Dad's arms were instantly around me and I felt myself being lifted off the ground. It felt like I was flying, and then I was soon lying on the warm bed in the hotel room.

"Esme, call the airport please," Dad said.

I heard something unzip and I felt Dad's presence next to me. I was hyperventilating and I felt like I was going to die. I was in a full-blown panic attack.

"Ella, I'm giving you something to calm you down and help you go to sleep, all right?" Dad said.

I felt something cold swipe across a small area of my hip, followed by the pierce of a needle. I started crying but soon calmed down. I started to get sleepy.

"That's it, just calm down. Daddy's here."

That was the last thing I heard before I slipped into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I carried my sleeping daughter through the busy airport. I felt a little bad about drugging her, but it was obvious that she wasn't able to cope with life very well right now. Once we got to the gate, I gave Ella another dose to keep her asleep during the flight. I had fought tooth and nail with Airport Security to get them to allow me to bring needles and medicine on the plane. They had spent the past hour going over my medical license and my profile to see if I was some sort of drug dealer or terrorist. When they looked up my medical profile online and found out that I had a degree in every kind of surgery plus regular medicine from Yale and had a five-star rating, they were all smiles and nods of approval. I just wanted to roll my eyes at the whole situation.

The flight seemed longer on the way back without Ella keeping me company. I was too stressed to read, so I simply watched Ella. I monitored her heart beat and respiration. She slept peacefully; I envied her. It was times like this that I wished that I could escape the world like she could. I still couldn't wrap my head around the fact that Ella actually told someone that she barely knew our secret. And it didn't stop there, she also went and told a close family member that couldn't always be trusted. Irina had a very strange personality. She did anything she could to cause drama, even with family. Irina had never been fond of Ella in the first place, and Ella knew that, so why did Ella go off and tell Irina about her problem anyway? It bothered me that she had gone through my phone to get Irina's number. I had told her several times to leave stuff that wasn't hers alone. I didn't understand my daughter's actions at all.

I sighed. I needed to find a way to get Ella to trust me enough to talk to me about every single one of her problems. What was keeping Ella from talking to me? She was always saying that she deserve me as her father, was she trying not to be a burden to me by keeping her problems a secret? There was something standing in-between us, but I wasn't sure what. All I knew is that it was keeping me from communicating eye-to-eye with my daughter.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up in the comfort of my own bed. I was a little bit disoriented. I went to sleep on one continent, then woke up on a different one. Previous events came flooding back to me and I remembered that Dad had knocked me out with some sort of drug or another. I also remembered why we were home early, why everyone in the family was home early. It was because of me and my big fat mouth.

I went downstairs and found my family gathered in the living room. I felt so bad for cutting their vacations. I wouldn't feel so bad if I was still in a relationship with Dylan, but that turned out to just be a joke. A sick, heartbreaking joke.

"Are you okay, Honey?" Dad asked, coming to my side.

"Yeah," I sniffled.

Dad led me over to the couch and sat me on his lap. I was surprised that my family wasn't screaming at me.

"I'm so sorry for what I did," I said.

"It's not completely your fault. Irina's the idiot who told the Volturi," Alice said.

"I'm still the root of the problem. I'm the one who opened my big fat mouth," I said.

"Ella, I have to agree that wasn't the best idea you've ever had, but you can't really be blamed for putting too much faith in young love. Everyone makes that mistake. You were falling hard in love, only to not be caught," Rosalie said.

"But because of that we're all going to die," I said.

"Not necessarily. The power of love and family overtakes evil," Dad said.

"How long until they come?" I asked.

"They'll be here by ten in the morning tomorrow," Alice said.

"What time is it now?" Jasper asked.

Dad checked his watch. "Nine."

I looked out the window to see if that was morning or night. It was dark outside; night.

"So we have thirteen hours left to live," I concluded.

"Oh Ella, stop being so negative. You think they have any hope killing me?" Emmett said, flexing his gigantic bicep.

"I'm serious," I said.

"So am I," he said.

"Shut up," I said and stomped off to my room.

I grabbed my guitar and plopped down on my bed. I tunelessly brushed the strings, creating a mess of music. Right now, I wanted to punch Dylan in his face again, even though he didn't really have anything to do with me spilling the beans. Well he did, but it was me that decided to tell. I was sad and upset when he didn't believe me, but now I'm glad that he doesn't. When would I stop messing up?

I let all my thoughts of anger at Dylan flood and take over my mind. Lyrics for a new song quickly came to my mind.

**Loving him is like driving a new Maserati down a dead-end street  
Faster than the wind, passionate as sin ending so suddenly  
Loving him is like trying to change your mind once you're already flying through the free fall  
Like the colors in autumn, so bright just before they lose it all**

**Losing him was blue like I'd never known**  
**Missing him was dark grey all alone**  
**Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met**  
**But loving him was red**  
**Loving him was red**

**Touching him was like realizing all you ever wanted was right there in front of you**  
**Memorizing him was as easy as knowing all the words to your old favorite song**  
**Fighting with him was like trying to solve a crossword and realizing there's no right answer**  
**Regretting him was like wishing you never found out that love could be that strong**

**Losing him was blue like I'd never known**  
**Missing him was dark grey all alone**  
**Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met**  
**But loving him was red**  
**Oh, red**  
**Burning red**

**Remembering him comes in flashbacks and echoes**  
**Tell myself it's time now, gotta let go**  
**But moving on from him is impossible**  
**When I still see it all in my head**  
**Burning red**  
**Loving him was red**

**Oh, losing him was blue like I'd never known**  
**Missing him was dark grey all alone**  
**Forgetting him was like trying to know somebody you never met**  
**'Cause loving him was red**  
**Yeah, yeah, red**  
**We're burning red**

**And that's why he's spinnin' 'round in my head**  
**Comes back to me, burning red**  
**Yeah, yeah**

**'Cause love was like driving a new Maserati down a dead-end street**

I sang the song again as I wrote down the lyrics. I was glad to have found a way to express my feelings without psychiatry. Sometimes it seemed like the guitar was my only friend, my only escape.

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**A/N: I hope you liked it! The song was "Red" by Taylor Swift. Also the one from before is "Best Day" again by Taylor Swift. Please review and vote on my poll. :-)**


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Nothing to say.**

**Disclaimer: I don't have anything to do with it!**

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**CHAPTER 37:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

We stood in the clearing, staring off into the distance. A thick fog blanketed the area, allowing only silhouettes of the trees to show. The clearing where my family played baseball and had a good time was becoming a warzone. The eight of us stood strongly and proudly, waiting in silence for the face of death to arrive. The black cloaks appeared one by one in the mist. They walked in unison, in a pace that was perfectly synched and had probably been practiced a thousand times. It was the pace of the invincible.

They stopped about fifty yards away. Aro, Caius, and Marcus made the point in the front, flanked by their many Guard members. Their stance showed power, and royalty. Ours showed companionship and love. Jasper and Alice stood together with their fingers interlaced, as did Emmett and Rosalie. Edward and his newborn vampire mate Bella stood shoulder-to-shoulder. Dad and Mom had me locked in-between them, holding hands so that they created an iron vise in front of me.

After giving everyone a subtle, loving look, Dad slowly approached the Volturi leader. He lifted his palms as a sign of peace. I felt Mom become stiff beside me.

"Greetings, Aro. We know why you have come and would be grateful to be given an opportunity to explain," Dad said formally.

In other words, I would have to sugarcoat my mistake.

"I believe that there is nothing left to be explained. That child's misdeed is in violation of the compromise we –"

"But there is," Dad interjected strongly.

Aro raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Before Dad could reply, Aro spoke again.

"Then the child herself must explain to me," he said.

I gulped. Aro's gaze was fully focused on me. He gave me an inviting smile that I immediately distrusted.

"Come!" he ordered.

I started shaking. I looked to where Dad was standing, only fifteen feet away from the monster. I didn't want to be any closer than I was now. I took a few steps back.

"COME!" he ordered more strongly.

With weak knees, I took tiny steps forward. I kept my eyes locked on Dad's face. He was looking back at me with a sympathetic expression. I thought of Dad, he was brave enough to walk right up to Aro without hesitation. I admired that. I pushed myself to take regular strides toward him. I saw his look of sympathy change to one of pride and determination.

I met up with Dad and stood just a little behind him. He reached back for my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, telling me that it was all right, even though it really wasn't. My life just seemed like a death cycle, disaster after disaster. I wondered at what point the cycle would be cut off. Would I be forced to deal with it until I died naturally? Or would something actually be strong enough to kill me? I've always thought of myself as a weak human girl, but I could apparently survive more than I thought I could. It was just another strange thing in my messed up life.

"Well Ella, now is your chance to explain your actions. Are you going to do so, or am I just going to have to carry on with my original plan?" Aro asked lightly, but threateningly.

"The truth is, I was just plain stupid. I let my teenage mind tell me that I would be with Dylan forever, and that I could trust him. I now know that is not the case. I told him because I really did believe. That's no excuse, I know, but it's really the reason why. I was falling hard in love, only not to be caught. It was also before I went to Italy and met you and realized how serious the secret was. Had I met you before, I probably wouldn't have told him. I am truly sorry for my actions and I will not deny that I did them. The good thing is that he didn't believe me. I was going to try to convince him, but thought better of it. I swear on my life that I will not tell another soul until I am one hundred percent sure that I will be with that person forever and that he is trustworthy," I said.

I should have left out that last line.

"But we made and agreement in Italy that you would never tell anyone no matter what, did we not?" Aro questioned.

I nodded. "Yes Sir, but –"

"There are no buts to that agreement. If you didn't like that agreement, you should have voiced your opinion in Italy. The agreement is set in stone," Aro said.

"I'm not trying to be rude but _**nothing **_is set in stone. In human life, things change. I am human and that is just how life is for me. You may be leader of the vampire world, but you are most certainly **NOT **the leader of me. I will _**NEVER**_ bow at your feet and call you my king because **YOU. ARE. NOT!**" I said fiercely.

Aro seemed taken aback by my speech. He quickly regained himself and spoke back.

"Darling, I am well aware that I am not the leader of the human world, and I don't intervene with human life. However, you know the secret and therefore that means I am **INDEED **your leader. I will treat you the same as I do any other vampire. And when certain vampires are a danger to our world, they are simply removed from it. I gave you a fair warning before, but this is the **SECOND **time. That proves to me that you are a threat. I do not give second chances."

"But Aro, I told him _before_ that warning," I said.

"Why didn't you tell me the first time we met?" he asked.

"Honestly, the thought didn't really cross my mind. It did for a second, but I decided not to because you were already letting me go and I didn't want to change that. I'm sorry for being dishonest," I said, bowing my head.

"That still doesn't excuse the fact that you told someone," he said.

I was mad now.

"Aro, I don't understand something. Why does it have to be kept a secret? If everyone knew the truth, why would it be bad? Why is keeping the secret safe from threats so important?" I asked.

Aro seemed to be at a loss for words. I wasn't going to go with this if he couldn't even give me a reason.

"Perhaps there is something to be explained," piped up one of the Guard members. I recognized him as Felix.

"Go ahead," Aro encouraged.

Felix turned toward me.

"You see, a while back, humans did know about us. That was when the Romanians were in rule, and people thought nothing of it. Then people started coming up with all these crazy suspicions and believed them. They thought that we were bad and tried to kill us. For a few hundred years, the world was a mess. Have you ever heard of the Witch Hunt?" Felix asked.

I nodded.

"Well they also searched for vampires and werewolves. When we slowly started keeping our existence a secret, the suspicions died off. If we revealed our secret once again, everyone would live in fear and the world would turn back into the mess it used to be. And _no one _wants that to happen," he said.

"I still don't understand the danger," I muttered stubbornly.

"Whether you see it or not, it is what it is. Now that you understand – or have at least been told – the dangers, we must make the decision as to what we will do," Aro said.

"Now we have to once again endure Aro's Court Hearing. Bada bing!" I said.

Aro sighed. "Child please, let's not have a repeat of our last meeting."

Dad gave me a warning pat on my bottom. I moved closer to him for comfort. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders and pressed me into his side. I felt like crying. I just wanted this to be over and done with.

"I will let this go under one condition," Aro announced.

"And what would that be?" Dad asked.

Aro turned to me. "When you have found your lifelong mate, bring him to meet me."

"I will," I vowed.

"Then there is nothing more to be said," Aro said and turned back to his minions that were standing faithfully behind him. "Let's return."

There were a few grumbles of disapproval but they dutifully marched off. Dad and I walked back to where our family was anxiously waiting.

"I'm so glad it's over!" I sobbed, burying my face into Mom's shoulder.

The summer passed without any problems. There were just laughs and smiles all around. Before I knew it, it was a week before the first day of school. I was sitting in the living room with Dad waiting for Mom and my siblings to return from their hunting trip.

"Hey Dad, I have a question," I said.

"And what would that question be?" he asked.

"Well, I was just thinking about random things and I was wondering if we could legally change my name. I was thinking of maybe changing "Ella Dixie Cullen" to "Gabriella Dixie Cullen." It's not a big change, I just want something formal for the future. I still want to be called Ella, but I want some document saying that my name is Gabriella," I requested.

"I don't see why not. I suppose you want that document before the first day of school?" he asked.

"Yes please."

"I will do that tomorrow and turn it in to the school. Are you excited to be going to Prep?" he asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. I didn't do as well as I could have academic wise at Discovery, so I kind of want to start over. I want really good grades so that I can get into a good college, but my main goal is to just improve them at the very least."

Dad smiled. "I love that attitude. You know, you sure have changed. Not just physically, but also mentally. You've become more . . . mature. More responsible," he said.

"I want to be that way. I'm hoping that things will be just a little less crazy around here. Everything has just been fast-moving and stressful. I just want time to hang out with my family and slow down. Like right now, I just like spending time with you," I said with a smile.

"I do too. Now we are going to focus on giving you the best life possible. I'm hoping that this will be a great change for all of us. A change for the better," Dad said.

The week passed and my name was officially changed to Gabriella Dixie Cullen. It was the night before Monday. Tomorrow would be the beginning of a whole new and wonderful experience.

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**A/N: I know that it was a really short chapter, but they're about to get long again. I just needed to get past this so that I could move on to more meaningful stuff. I promise that the next chapter will not disappoint! Please review and vote on my poll.**


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Over ten thousand views! That's just amazing! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Seriously people, no matter how much I wish I did, I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT!**

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**CHAPTER 38:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I closed my eyes and took in a big breath before opening the car door and exhaling as I got out into the cold September air. The parking lot was filled with students talking and laughing, happy to be starting another year at the school at which they had built strong friendships with those around them. Me, not so much. It turned out that my friends weren't coming here after all. I would have to start all over again. A small part of me told me that it was a good thing, but a larger part told me that it would be hard, and so not worth it. I wondered if I would regret my decision.

I walked up to the building and went inside. The main office was in a room next to the main entrance, so I decided that would be a good place to start. I had never been here before, and I had no idea where I was going. A map of the school would be nice.

"Hi. I'm Gabriella Dixie Cullen. I'm new here, so I was wondering if you could get me a map of the place," I said to the woman at the desk.

"Of course. Wait just a minute while I print out your schedule," she said.

She gave me my schedule and a map and highlighted the route to each of my classes. She gave me a packet of information, which included my locker number. I walked around until I found my locker. There was a girl with blonde hair at the locker next to mine.

"Hi," I said as I walked up.

"Hello, I'm Taylor," she said.

"I'm Ella," I introduced.

"So are you new here?" she asked.

"Yeah, are you?" I asked.

"Yep. What grade?"

"Ninth," I answered.

Her face lit up. "Me too."

"Cool," I said.

I put my stuff in my locker. I barely had enough room. I had _way _too many decorations.

"So do you know anybody?" I asked.

"Yeah. Four friends from my old school," she said.

"Lucky, I don't know anybody," I said sadly.

"Do you want to sit with me at lunch? I could introduce you to my friends," she offered.

I smiled genuinely. "That would be great."

The first bell rang indicating that I should hurry up and get to class.

"Well, I'll see you later," I said before walking off.

"Bye!" Taylor called.

I didn't talk to anybody during that first class. I had found myself too shy to speak up. No one said hi to me either. It was just one of those awkward first day of school situations. Totally embarrassing and totally unavoidable.

The morning passed quickly and I was on my way to lunch to hopefully make some friends. It was such a change from the previous years. Each time I went back to school in the fall, I had no fear of not having any friends. Here I didn't know anybody's first name.

I was so enveloped in my thoughts that I didn't notice the person that was standing in front of me. I crashed into that person, dropping my books in the process.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" a voice said angrily.

I looked up and felt my knees weaken when I saw who it was.

Alec.

"I am so sorry," I said nervously.

"Wait, Ella?"

"Yep, it's me," I said quietly.

"You look so different. Did you lighten your hair or something?" he asked.

"No, it just became a lighter brown over the summer," I answered.

It was silent.

"Look, I'm sorry for how I treated you last year. We aren't friends, not even remotely close, but, just, stay out of my way, okay? I won't bother you, you won't bother me. And don't try to start something, because it won't work, got it?" he said.

I nodded. He walked away without another word.

I slowly made my way to the cafeteria. I was _so _not expecting to ever have to face Alec again. At least he didn't seem as mean as he was last year. I was still going to avoid him as much as possible though. Not only because he wanted me to, but also for my own happiness. I didn't need to start crying at school because of him again. I needed to man up and not run away and hide from my problems.

"Ella! We've been waiting for you," Taylor said as I approached the table she and her friends were sitting at.

"Sorry. I had to do . . . something," I said.

She introduced me to her four friends, Kerri, Tasha, Clara, and Marlene. They didn't really pay much attention to me, and just talked amongst themselves. Taylor tried to include me into the conversation a few times by asking me questions about my old school, but after a few short, boring answers from me, she gave up. I just bit little pieces off of my apple and listened to their conversation.

The rest of the day passed quickly. It was only the first day of school, but I had hours of homework. I was struggling to fit it all into my backpack when Taylor approached me.

"Hey, I thought that you would've been more into the conversation at lunch today," she said.

"I guess I just didn't find it that interesting," I said dismissively.

"Are you saying that my friends are stupid?" she asked angrily.

"No, not at all. I'm just saying that I wasn't really interested in the conversation," I said. Truth to be told, I didn't even know what the conversation was about.

"Well don't expect to be friends with me or any of them anytime soon. Or ever," she snapped before walking away with her nose high in the air.

God, why did she have to be so bitchy? I slammed my locker shut and walked outside to find Mom waiting in her Porsche SUV. I got in and slammed the door like I did with my locker and went back to seething at Taylor and her band of bitches. Hey, that could be a thing.

"I'm guessing by your actions today wasn't a very good day?" Mom asked lightly.

"Nope," I said.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked.

"Not really."

It was silent only for about ten seconds before I slipped off into a rant.

"I know absolutely nobody! I met this girl named Taylor and she introduced me to her friends, but they are all just bitches! So is she! I don't get along with anybody! To make matters worse, _Alec _of all people has to be here. He wasn't mean to me, but he still doesn't want anything to do with me. And to top it all off, I've got hours of homework to do!"

"I'm sorry that you didn't make any friends, Sweetheart, but you've got to remember that it's only the first day. You know how the saying goes, first day, worst day. And as far as the homework goes, I'd be happy to help you," Mom offered.

"Thanks. It just been one badass day," I grumbled.

"I'll always help you. You might want to lose that tone and language before your father gets home though," she said.

"I'm sorry Mom. It's just, I expected today to be a lot better. Everything's just so, _different_," I said.

"Well, it's a new school and new experience. I'm sure you'll make friends soon though," she said.

"I'm not so sure about that," I said.

"Ella, how many girls did you talk to today?" Mom asked.

"Five," I answered slowly.

"And how many high school students are there?"

"I don't know, like, seven hundred."

"So let's cut that in half and say that there are three hundred and fifty girls. You met five of them, so let's say that there are about three hundred and forty-five girls that you have yet to meet. You ought to be friends with at least one of them by the end of the week," she said.

"But I've seen a lot in my different classes throughout the day, and none of them even said hi to me," I said.

"Sometimes you have to say the first word, make yourself noticed."

"I'll figure it out," I said dismissively.

Once we got home, I went straight up to my room and threw my stuff down on my bed. I ripped the ponytail that held my braided hair together before plopping down on the bed. I grabbed my fuzzy blue pillow and buried my face into it. I cried the tears of today into it.

I cried for Taylor and her group of brats. I cried for Alec, the meanest person I've ever met. I cried for Discovery, and how I wished to go back. I cried for all of my old friends at my old school, wishing that they'd all appear at Prep. I cried for everything that had upset me today.

"Ella Honey, what's wrong?" Dad's soothing voice asked. I jumped; I hadn't heard him come in. He must have gotten off work early, it was only six o'clock.

"Baby, talk to me," Dad ordered softly.

"I had a horrible day!" I cried. I probably sounded like a five-year-old.

"I'm sorry to hear that Sweetheart. Do you want to talk about it?" Dad asked kindly.

"I already told Mom. Go ask her if you want to know."

I felt a cold hand on my hair. "I will later, but right now it looks like I need to comfort you."

Dad pulled me up into his lap and turned me so that I was facing him. He pulled me into a hug and simply held me.

"I don't fit in very well at school," I explained.

"Everybody's different Sweetie," Dad said.

"I didn't make any friends today though. I'm _too _different," I cried.

Dad didn't have anything to say to that. I didn't want a response either.

"Do I have to go back to school tomorrow?" I asked, giving him puppy-dog eyes.

"I'm afraid so Darling. Is it that bad?" he asked concernedly.

"Can't you and Mom just homeschool me?" I begged.

"Ella, I don't have the time and social interaction is very important. Especially in maturing years," Dad said.

"There's no social interaction if I don't have any friends anyway," I said.

"Bottom line, you're staying in school. If you're really that unhappy, I can try to enroll you into a different one," Dad offered.

"No, I can do this. You and Mom are both right, I need to give it another chance. I need to stop running away from my problems," I said with a sudden boost of confidence.

Dad smiled. "That's my girl. Should we go get you some food now?"

"Can you order pizza?" I asked, batting my eyelashes.

Dad chuckled. "Of course."

Ninth and tenth grade passed quickly. During that time, I only made two friends, Courtney and Katrina. The nice thing was, they were super awesome. Another awesome thing? I had a new boyfriend. His name was Mitchell Brown and he was football captain of the Johnnie's. Courtney and Katie had football player boyfriends too. It was the last day of eleventh grade before Spring Break and Courtney, Katie, their two boyfriends, Liam and Shawn, Mitchell, and I were all sitting at a lunch table in the cafeteria.

"So Ella, are you in?" Courtney asked me.

"I don't know. I mean, we're sixteen, some of us seventeen, so don't you think going to a college Spring Break party is kinda out of our age range?" I asked.

"We were _invited _though. Almost everyone in our grade is going. It's just that bar in downtown Seattle," Katie said.

"All right. Fine, I'll go. I'm going have to lie to my parents though, they'd never let me out this late, especially to go to a college party. Can you guys help me think of something?" I asked.

"Just say that you're going to the movies with us," Mitchell said.

"Okay, I guess that works," I said.

"I'll pick you up with my bike at the end of your driveway at ten o'clock, okay? Party starts at eleven," he continued.

"Sounds good."

"I so can't wait! Can you believe it? sixteen and seventeen-year-olds going to a _college _party!" Courtney squealed.

"How cool are we?" Katie said happily.

The bell rang, signaling that we had to go to class. I threw my lunch tray away and walked out of the cafeteria. Much too soon, it was time to go home and lie to my parents. Great.

My heart pounded as I descended the stairs to the living room where my parents were sitting, talking about their day. I had spent the entire time from four o'clock to now, which was nine-thirty, getting dressed and preparing the lie I was about to tell. I was wearing a low-cut white tank top, a short black shirt that was hidden by a knee-length blue, and brown Ugg boots, but I had a pair of black heels with white polka-dots tucked in my purse. I took a deep breath before entering the room.

"Mom, Dad, I'm going to the movies tonight with some friends," I told them.

Dad laughed once and said, "And what makes you think we will let you go out that late?"

"Dad, c'mon. I'm just going out with some friends to celebrate Spring Break," I said.

"Which friends?" he asked, becoming serious.

"Courtney, Katie, their boyfriends, and Mitchell. We're sort of triple-dating.

"Ella, I'm sorry, but I will not allow you out that late," Dad said sternly.

"Carlisle, they just want to go out and celebrate Spring Break. They're just going to the movies," Mom said.

"What time will you be back?" Dad asked.

Shit. I had to choose my words carefully here. I needed not only to give an acceptable timeslot, but also one that would not be a lie.

"Well, the movie starts at eleven, so I'm guessing that it'll be no later than two," I said slowly.

"Absolutely not," Dad said.

"Ella, you can go. Just call us when it ends, okay?" Mom said.

"Esme!" Dad shouted.

"Carlisle, let her go. We have nothing going on tonight or tomorrow so there's no reason why she can't go," Mom said.

"Oh I can think of a few," Dad said.

"Of course you can. Ella, go. Before I have to physically hold him to the couch," Mom said.

"Thanks Mom. I'll be careful," I promised as I closed the door.

I breathed a sigh of relief as soon as I got out the door. That had been close. I walked to the end of the drive to find Mitchell already waiting with his black motorcycle.

"Hey, did it go okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, I just have to be back by two," I told him.

"No problem," he said and started up his bike.

It would take a half hour to get to the bar. I thought about what the party might consist of. I had never been to one before, obviously. It was a college party, so there would probably be smoking, drinking, drugs, and sex. Lovely. I just hoped that I could pull this off. If I didn't, my parents would never let me out of the house again. At least not if they didn't have me on a leash or something.

I could hear the loud music pounding out into the street as we approached. Mitchell pulled into the parking lot and shut off the bike. He got off and was about to go in when I stopped him.

"Wait just a sec," I said.

I pulled of the skirt and tucked it into my bag after taking out the shoes. I put them on and put my purse in the storage compartment on his bike.

"Okay, I'm ready," I announced.

We walked in and immediately spotted Courtney, Liam, Katie, and Shawn waiting for us by the door.

"Hey Ella! You look awesome!" Katie acknowledged.

I blushed. "Thanks."

Mitchell led me to the back of the bar where the rest of the football team were smoking and drinking.

"Hey, glad you could make it," one of the football players, Tim, said, clapping me on the shoulder.

I was kinda surprised when I saw Mitchell whip out a pack of cigarettes and light one. He stuck it in his mouth before lighting another one and holding it out to me.

"Here," he said.

I took it from him.

"Um, thanks," I said.

"Have you ever smoked before?" he asked.

"No," I answered.

"Ooh, gonna make a good girl go bad, are we Mitch?" one of them said while elbowing him in the ribs.

I blushed and stuck the cigarette in my mouth as I saw them do. It tasted disgusting, but there was just something . . . great about it.

"It's so . . . relaxing," I said.

Mitchell smiled. "That's the point. I could tell that you were a little on-edge, so I figured a smoke would do you good."

"You gotta try the beer too," Katie said, sipping a mug of her own.

"Aren't we too young?" I questioned.

"The people here don't care, as long as they get money," Liam said.

"Someone go get me one then," I said.

"On it!" Courtney said.

I threw the cigarette away and took the beer from Courtney. I held it cautiously to my lips. I sniffed it carefully. It smelt okay. I took a tiny sip. It was disgusting.

"She doesn't like it, I can tell," Shawn laughed.

"I do too like it," I said and took a huge gulp. I almost choked, but luckily I didn't.

Two cigarettes, three beers, and a White Russian later, it was time to leave. Mitchell and I walked out, nearly stumbling down the curb.

"Are you sure you can drive?" I asked, my voice slightly slurred.

"I'm fine Babe," he said, his voice slurring similar to mine.

It was drizzling, so the ride home was wet and cold. We got to the drive with a half hour to spare. I was glad it was raining, because it wouldn't look weird if I was soaking wet. I put on my cover-up clothes and dunked myself in the river to get the smell of smoke and alcohol off of me. I walked back to the house, shivering and praying that I would pass.

"Ella! Why are you so wet?" Dad asked when I walked in the door.

"A motorcycle in the rain might have something to do with it," I said, happy that my voice didn't slur.

Dad looked me over carefully for a few minutes before finally letting me go. I felt like doing a victory dance once I got to my room. I got in the shower and scrubbed myself from head to toe to get the smells of the night off. I got out and flopped into bed, exhausted by the stress of the party.

* * *

**A/N: Things are sure about to get interesting this Spring Break. The reason I skipped so much time is because I really need to start making the transitions into the sequel. I'm also running out of events. There are more chapters to come with interesting events, but I just needed to make Ella older to do them. I hope that this chapter wasn't too confusing. Just to sum things up, Ella is sixteen and in tenth grade. And we all know what happens when someone is sixteen! Please review, favorite, and follow. Also vote on my poll. Last thing, I created a one-shot When The World Comes Crashing Down so you might want to go check that out. New chapter for this story will be posted by Friday at the latest. Thanks for reading!**


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: This chapter is back up to the average length with about five thousand words. The next chapter should come quickly since it is now summer and I have more time on my hands. The quality of my writing should also be improving as well. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: My first name is not Stephanie and my last name is not Meyer, so I don't own Twilight. I do, however, own this storyline. Sadly, that is all I can claim.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 39:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I woke up feeling like crap. My head ached, my stomach hurt, and I was exhausted. I looked at the clock and found that it was almost two in the afternoon. Dang, I was no doubt going to have to answer to Dad.

I groaned and forced myself out of bed. I was a little dizzy at first, but I eventually found my balance. I threw on the first set of clothes I could find and went downstairs, grasping the rail as I went. Once I made it to the kitchen, I didn't hesitate to throw myself down in a chair.

"Ella! You look horrible. Do you feel okay Sweetie?" Mom asked as she set and bowl of cereal in front of me and put her hand to my forehead.

"I'm fine," I assured her, pushing her hand away.

"So what are your plans for today?" she asked.

"That depends, where's Dad?" I asked.

"In his study," she answered.

I should've known, I guess. I put down my spoon and walked up the stairs to Dad's study. I went in without knocking since he would already know that I was there anyway. I found him sitting at his desk with a book, as per usual.

"I see someone's finally out of bed. Party take it out of you?" Dad asked with a smirk.

I ignored him. "Dad, I need to ask you something."

His face abruptly turned serious. "Yes?"

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"Can I get my driver's license?" I asked slowly.

I watched as the different expressions flashed across his face. Confusion, sadness, contemplation, anger, pain, until he finally settled on expressionless.

"No, you may not," Dad said finally.

"Oh come on! Why not?!" I demanded in a whiney voice.

Dad looked at me sternly. "Ella, don't start whining. I have my reasons, but all you need to know is that the answer is no."

"But Dad, all of my other friends that are old enough drive," I said.

"That doesn't mean you have to," he argued.

"But I want to! I've already waited longer than necessary," I said.

"Ella, driving is dangerous. I have seen way too many people your age die on my operating table because of a car accident. I am not going to let that happen to you. Talk to me when you're eighteen," Dad said, his voice ringing with authority and finality.

"Carlisle, can I talk to you for a second?" I heard Mom say.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

My wife stood expressionless in the doorway, her eyes trained on me. She ushered Ella out of the room before closing the door and turning back to me.

"Carlisle, why won't you let Ella get her license?" she asked softly.

"The reasons that I told her. It's dangerous and I don't want to see her die," I said.

"So you think that she won't be able to handle driving?" Esme asked.

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I just think she's too young to –"

"She's _sixteen_. And she's been sixteen for months, at that. Most people get permits at fifteen and –"

"Driving means leaving," I explained.

Esme stopped her rant abruptly. Her eyes turned soft and she came to stand in front of me.

"You don't want her to grow up," she said.

It wasn't a question, it was a statement. An unbelievably true statement.

"Don't you feel the same way?" I asked.

"I do, to a point. I don't want her to leave home, but at the same time I try to savor every moment I have with her. We missed the first eight years of her life, and I –"

"I want those eight years," I interrupted.

"Well we can't have them. We can't have the moments of her birth, her first steps, her first word . . . we can't have any of those moments. But we _can _have the moments now, and the moments in years to come. Like teaching her how to drive, that's a HUGE part of being a teenager, and you want to miss out on that? Carlisle, if you spend your time wishing that she would never grow up, then you'll miss out on the time that we have with her. You can't stop her from growing, but you _can _help her become the brilliant woman that she has the potential to be. Think about it, the way that _you _teach her how to drive will determine how she drives for the rest of her _life_. No pressure or anything," she said with a smile.

I smiled back at her. "You're right. I'm going to teach Ella everything she needs to know about driving today, so that I can take her in to get a driving test so she can get her license _today_. And then I can take her car-shopping!" I said excitedly.

Esme chuckled lightly. "Go," she ordered.

"Now I just have to figure out which car I'm going to use to teach her," I mused.

I heard the sounds of five pairs of feet scamper around the house, keys jingling along with it. I smiled and let out a small chuckle.

"I guess it's the Mercedes," I said.

Ella nearly made me go deaf with her screams of joy when I told her that she could get her driver's license today. She snatched the keys out of my hand before I even had time to realize what was happening and sped off toward the garage. I wasn't far behind her. She jumped in the car and was about to start it when I gently placed my hand over hers.

"Ella, I know you are excited to be driving and I understand completely, but you need to be relaxed and humble while driving. Remember, driving is just a way to get from Point A to Point B, not a way to speed-race," I told her.

"But people do speed-race. Newsflash, NASCAR!" Ella said.

I rolled my eyes. "Just start the car."

She turned the key and the engine purred to life. Ella gave a squeal of delight before looking at me gratefully.

"Okay . . . so what do I do now?" she asked expectantly.

I mentally smacked myself in the forehead and sighed for the task that lay ahead of me.

"Please tell me you know which pedals ate which?" I asked.

"Of course I do, I'm not stupid," she answered.

I let out a sigh of relief. "All right then, slowly start driving down the path. Keep your hands on ten and two," I reminded her.

Ella moved her hands to the correct places before stomping down on the gas pedal. She slammed on the brakes instantly. The back of my head slammed against the seat.

"Jesus Ella! What part of _slowly_ do you not understand?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry Daddy. This thing has more power than I thought."

"Try again," I encouraged her.

Very cautiously, she tapped the pedal and the car rolled forward. Again, she immediately slammed on the brakes.

"What's wrong Sweetheart? That was good," I told her.

She gave me a disbelieving look. "_Really_?"

"Yes. Do it just like that, but don't slam on the brakes this time."

She merely tapped the pedal, and we started moving again. It took a few tries, but eventually we were moving at a steady pace of thirteen miles per hour.

"Now would be a good time to check your mirrors. Position them so that you can see the things that are beside you and behind you," I instructed.

She adjusted the mirrors and drove along the path carefully. We were slowly approaching a curve.

"How do I turn?" she panicked.

"It's fairly simple, my dear. Just slowly turn the wheel along with the curve. It's very similar to riding a bicycle," I told her.

She maneuvered the curve perfectly, and even kept speed. After a while, she got a little more daring and sped up to thirty miles an hour. I was really impressed. I noted how her eyes always stayed ahead of her and she didn't even glance down and her phone when it dinged. My baby might actually succeed at this task.

I stopped her once we got to the end of the path.

"Why can't I go out on the highway?" she whined.

"Ella, you're only now learning how to drive. You're doing an exceptional job, but you are in no shape to go on the highway yet. Now, let's see if we can get that speed up to sixty miles," I said.

After a few times of going back and forth, Ella was driving quickly and smoothly. I taught her how to parallel park, and quizzed her on some basic rules of the road. I told her that she was ready for her driver's test, so we switched places and I drove off toward the City Hall. I almost had tears in my eyes.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I couldn't believe it! I was going to get my license! I couldn't wait to text my friends and tell them the fantastic news. Well, if I got my license. I was feeling pretty confident, but I didn't want to jinx it.

I passed the test with no problems at all. They took my picture and five minutes later, I had my license! I skipped out of the building to show Dad the pretty piece of plastic. We celebrated for about three minutes before driving off to the dealership, with me behind the wheel, I might add. I had narrowed it down to two cars, a black Mustang GT, and a red Lamborghini.

"I really can't decide," I told Dad.

"Well, they're both very nice-looking, sporty cars. The Mustang has a V8 and would get better gas mileage, but it's really whatever you want. The prices only differ by a few thousand dollars," Dad told me.

I was really kinda attracted to the Mustang. It was so black that it would blend in perfectly with the night, which might prove useful, but the Lamborghini just looked so _cool_. After a few more minutes of staring at the precious items before me, I finally made the hard decision.

"I'll go with the Mustang. I like the color, and, besides, we already have a Lamborghini at home if I really want to drive one," I said.

Dad snorted. "Good luck talking Edward into that one. It took me _days _to convince him to let me take it for a spin. He still won't let me – or anyone – touch the Vanquish."

"I'm a very persuasive person," I said.

"That you are," Dad agreed.

Once I signed the piece of paper that said it was my car, I climbed into the Mustang's sleek body. The interior was tan leather, and it had wood accents. I could change the color of the lighting inside, so I set it on purple. I followed Dad out of the lot and we started heading home. I wasn't sure if I knew the way, so I just followed Dad. He also insisted that I did. Deciding to have a little fun, when we were supposed to go straight, I turned right. I saw him stop and whip around. He had to wait for the light to turn, so I sped off and tried to get him off my trail. He quickly caught up with me though. I sighed and let him take the lead so that we could go home. I saw him check the mirror every few seconds to make sure I was still there. I should have known that Dad would never let me drive around town by myself. It was kind of insulting, really.

My siblings were waiting in the garage when we returned. I could tell they liked my choice, and they told me so too. Emmett suggested racing, and I was all for that, but Dad said no, at least not until I was a more experienced driver. Again, _insulting_.

I texted the good news to my friends. They proposed that we go out to the bar and celebrate tonight. I was happy that they were excited for me, but I didn't want to chance my new freedom. I had gotten away with it once, but I didn't have enough luck to do it again. They convinced me though, saying that I didn't have to drive my new car in case we did get caught, which they thought was very unlikely. I told them to pick me up at ten, which was an hour from now.

I got dressed in clothes similar to last time, but put more practical clothes over them. I went downstairs after giving myself the same pep talk as last time. I found my parents sitting in the living room as usual.

"Hey, um, is it okay if I go out with my friends again? We want to celebrate me getting my license," I explained.

"Sure," Mom said immediately.

"What time will you be back?" Dad asked.

"Probably around the same time as before. We might go see a movie, or just hang out somewhere. We don't really have a plan," I said.

Dad's brow furrowed. "I need to know where you're going."

"I already told you, I don't know. We'll stay in town though, don't worry," I said.

Dad's eyes still held a definite "No."

"I'm not going to drive either. I don't feel comfortable driving at night yet," I said.

Dad seemed appeased once I said this.

"I'm glad that you are taking your privileges slowly," he said with a smile.

_**You have no idea Dad**_, I thought. _**You have no idea.**_

I walked to the end of the drive and found Katie waiting with everyone in her minivan. She quickly sped off toward the bar.

"So show us the plastic!" urged Courtney.

I pulled my license out of my wallet and passed it around.

"Now I want one," Shawn said.

I giggled and tucked it back in my purse. A few minutes later we arrived to the bar and stepped out. I threw my cover-up clothes in the back seat and followed everyone in. I was still a little apprehensive about doing this. Just like last night, the football team was chilling in the back along with a few cheerleaders. Did they do this every night?

Just like yesterday, a cigarette had me as cool as a cucumber with this. I downed two beers in a matter of fifteen minutes, and was currently sipping at a White Russian. I had three of those, and then I was ready to get crazy on the dance floor. I grabbed Mitchell's hand and we started dancing like idiots. We moved ridiculously and were way too fast for the beat of the music. Courtney, Katie, Liam and Shawn soon joined us, copying our moves. We just laughed and had a great time.

After about two hours of dancing – or whatever you wanted to call our crazy moves – we went back to the bartender and ordered some drinks. Mitchell introduced me to a Strawberry Margarita and that was the end of it. I think I had about five of those, but I wasn't sure. I was so drunk that I didn't even remember my middle name.

I pulled out my phone for the first time and looked down at it. I froze.

It was almost four in the morning.

And that wasn't the worst part. I had one hundred and forty-seven missed calls from Dad.

Fuck.

"Guys, we gotta go," I told my friends, but I wasn't sure if they heard me over the music.

They either didn't hear me or just ignored me. I moved closer to grab Katie's arm when a man stopped me.

"Hey Cutie, wanna come dance with me?" slurred the man.

"No thank you, I just really need to–"

I was cut off by him grabbing my left breast.

"Then perhaps you'd just like to get down on the floor," he slurred with a smile.

"Don't touch me!" I said swatting his hand away.

I finally made it to Katie and we were able to round everyone up. It was four-thirty by the time we got to the end of my drive, which meant that I still had fifteen minutes of walking to do. Dad was going to kill me, goodbye world!

I skittered down the road as fast as I could, not wanting my butt to be anymore late than it already was. Part of me wanted to make a run for it, and to never come home to face Dad's wrath, but the other part knew that would never work. I knew that everyone in the house was on hyper-alert, and possibly out looking for me. I made it to the bottom of the porch stairs when the door suddenly flung open.

"**GABRIELLA DIXIE CULLEN!"**

I flinched. Dad was _furious_. I stopped and thought I'd let him get all his yelling done here.

"**GET IN THIS HOUSE NOW!**"

So much for that plan. I slowly walked up the porch steps, teetering a little bit since I was drunk. I was surprised that I was still able to function.

"**WOULD YOU CARE TO EXPLAIN TO ME WHY IT IS ALMOST FIVE IN THE MORNING AND YOU ARE JUST GETTING HOME?!" **he yelled.

"I . . ."

"**IS THAT **_**CIGARETTE **_**SMOKE THAT I SMELL? AND **_**ALCOHOL?!**_**"**

Yep, I was dead.

"Dad, I can explain –" I began

"**YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD AND DO THAT THEN!"**

I flinched again. I really wish that he'd stop yelling. I was scared out of my drunken mind right now.

"Daddy, please –"

"**SO IT'S DADDY NOW, IS IT? WHILE I CAN TELL YOU THAT DADDY–"**

"Ella, come in this house right now and head straight for the shower," Mom commanded. "I don't want that awful smell all over my house. Carlisle, you need to calm down."

"Yes Ma'am," I said quietly and quickly slipped past my angry father. I bolted up to my room, threw my clothes in the basket, and hopped in the shower. The tiredness that I had felt before I got home was long gone and forgotten. I had a feeling that I wasn't going to be getting to sleep any time soon.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I could not believe that girl. She had told me that she was going out with her friends and would be back by two in the morning – which was a ridiculous time for a sixteen-year-old girl – but came back three hours late smelling like a bar. I knew that's where she would have had to have been. Either that or at a friend's house that was hosting a wild party. And if she was at a bar, how could she have possibly passed for twenty-one?

Ella had never struck me as a troublemaker. Sure, she had her rebellious streak that peeked through from time to time, but she had never done something like this. I hated having to put her back in line. I knew that I needed to correct her mistakes, but that didn't mean that I wanted to do it. I would have to take away many of the things that made her happy. No loving father would ever want to have to take things away from their child.

I was disappointed, furious, but most of all, deeply _confused _at her behavior. Ella was a good girl, I knew so, but was known for having her moments. I had expected some sort of misconception to happen during her teenage years, but _never _something like this.

I decided to let Ella just go ahead and get to sleep. She was so tired and most likely drunk that she wouldn't get anything out of a lecture if I gave her one tonight. She and I were going to have one long discussion in my study tomorrow though, that was for sure.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Shit, that was what I felt like in the morning. I barely made it to the bathroom in time to puke up all of last night's drinks. I was on my third round when I felt my hair being lifted off my neck. A comforting hand to my shoulder was all it took for me to know that it was Dad who was standing behind me.

I slowly turned to face him, bracing for the worst. I was surprised to see that his eyes held the soft and loving look that I had grown so used to, and even a little bit of sympathy. There was no trace of anger or disappointment in his expression, just concern.

"Daddy I am so so–"

He held up a hand. "Save it. We will discuss the matter shortly. Now do you need anything or shall we take this to my study?"

"Can I have an Aspirin or something to help with my headache?" I asked.

"Absolutely not. Maybe this will teach you not to drink," he said pointedly.

I winced. "I guess I'm ready then."

"Good. Bring your purse and your phone and meet me in my study," Dad ordered before briskly leaving the room.

I did as I was told and went downstairs to his study. He was already sitting at his desk waiting for me. I sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk and settled in to endure the long lecture that was sure to come.

"Ella, give me your phone please," Dad commanded.

Quickly without question, I handed over my iPhone. He tapped the screen a few times before handing it back to me. I looked down it to see the Missed Calls screen, stating that I had missed one hundred and forty-seven calls from him in a three-hour time period last night.

"Explain that please," he said.

"I didn't hear my phone ring," I answered immediately.

"And why was that?"

"Because the music was too loud," I answered honestly.

"And where was this music coming from?" Dad asked.

I groaned as I realized where he was going with this. "The bar."

"Hmm, that's interesting, because I do recall giving you permission to go hang out with your friends, not smoking or getting drunk," he said.

"You can't control my life," I snapped unthinkingly. Knee-jerk reaction.

"You're right, I can't control your life," he replied immediately. "But I can control whether or not you have a phone to contact your friends, gas in your car, money in your pocket, food in your stomach, and a home to live at."

"So you're saying that if you didn't want me to, you could leave me on the streets in poverty with no way of contacting anyone and let me starve?" I questioned.

"Ella, that's not what I'm saying at all. What I'm trying to get across to you is that I give you everything you could possibly want and more and that I'd like some respect in return. I will always give you the necessities that you need to live, but I don't have to give you all the extras if you're just going to disrespect me. I have been very fair in terms of what you do, and you've taken that limit and pushed it. I need to get you and that limit back in place and make sure it stays there," he said.

"H-How do you plan on doing that?" I asked nervously.

"We will discuss that in a while. Right now we need to discuss what you did last night. I'd appreciate it if you would be quiet while I am speaking. You will be given your chance to explain, so there is no need to rudely interrupt, understood?"

"Yes Sir," I responded.

"Ella, what you did last night was not something you should be proud of. It was stupid and irresponsible. Do you even realize what drinking can do to people? Do you _want_ to become an alcoholic and die young because of it? It is acceptable to have a drink once in a while but not drink after drink and certainly not when you are underage! Drinking can be very dangerous if you don't do so responsibly, and how you drank last night was definitely NOT responsibly. Not only that but you _lied _to me Ella. What have I ever done or said to you that would make you believe that you have to lie to me? Why did you lie to me?" Dad asked.

I looked down, ashamed. "I lied to you because I knew you wouldn't approve of my actions. I knew it was wrong, but I really wanted to go out with my friends. I knew you wouldn't let me if you knew what we were up to."

"So you went out and did something that you knew I wouldn't approve of just because you wanted to have fun? Even though you knew it was wrong, you did it because all you cared about was your friends, not what I thought or your safety. Is that a correct summary?" Dad asked.

"I-I guess so," I said.

"Is there anything you'd like to add about your experience?" he asked.

I thought for a moment. Probably shouldn't mention that I've done it before. I decided on giving him just a little more detail on the night's events. It may help my case a little, it may hurt it, but it really didn't matter at this point. I was already toast as it was.

"Well, aside from the disadvantages of getting sick and having a huge headache, I may have almost got into some serious trouble last night," I said quietly.

Dad leaned forward concernedly. "What kind of trouble?"

"Well, for one there's always the danger of my friends driving after they've had alcohol, and I also had a very likely chance of getting raped – again – last night."

Dad's eyes got so big I thought they might fall out. "Tell me what happened."

I told him about my unfortunate encounter with the man and also told him that it really turned out to be nothing. Still, he gave me this lecture on how it could have been a lot worse and he told me about how people can easily get taken advantage of when they are under the influence of alcohol. I was starting to think that the endless lectures were part of my punishment.

"Ella, I am very disappointed in your behavior. You know better than this, you're smart. I cannot let this go with a mere slap on the wrist, if you know what I mean. First things first; go get all of your electronics and the power cord to your TV and bring them to me please," he instructed.

After doing that, I solemnly came back into the room and set everything down on his desk. With the black cords and colorful devices, it looked like a pile of rainbow spaghetti.

"Hand over your credit card, car keys, and driver's license," he told me.

I gave him my credit card and slowly handed over the keys to my baby.

"Please don't sell it," I begged.

"Of course I won't Sweetie," he said. "Now I need your license too."

"Please don't have them invalidate it," I begged again.

"I won't have them invalidate it. I promise that it will be returned to you as soon as your grounding for a month is up," he said.

"A month? Really?" I whined.

"I'm afraid so Honey. Now give me your license," he commanded.

I begrudgingly handed it over. I gasped as he ripped it up into tiny little shreds.

"But you said –"

"How does it feel to be _**lied**_ to?" he asked pointedly.

"But my lie wasn't that bad!"

"Oh yes it was! If not worse! I love and care about you very much as you seem to love and care about your license so much. To be told that the thing you love so much will be at a certain place at a certain time and then it turns out to be a lie is very bad," Dad said.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I burst into tears.

"I didn't mean to upset you Dad. That really wasn't my intent, honest!" I sobbed.

Dad reached across the desk and took hold of my hand.

"I know it wasn't Honey, but that still doesn't make it okay," he said softly.

"I'm really sorry Daddy," I sobbed.

"Ella, look at me," he said. I looked up at him.

"I forgive you," he said sincerely. "I know that you regret your actions. No matter how many mistakes you make, I will always forgive you. Even though you royally screwed up here, you are forgiven. You are being punished, yes, but it is for your own good. You may not understand that now, but you will understand it eventually, perhaps when you are older."

"Can I go to my room now?" I cried.

"Yes, of course. Come on out and talk to your mother or I if you need to, okay? We are always here to help."

I nodded before getting up and climbing the stairs to my room. I flopped down on my bed and cried for the stupid things I'd done last night.

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**A/N: Will Carlisle finally make Ella see reason? Maybe she won't take him seriously this time, but he's bound to make an impression at some point or another! I also have some exciting news! I'm guessing that there will be about ten to fifteen chapters of this story left before we move on to the sequel, which I have put a lot of planning into to make it interesting. But by all means, this story isn't finished yet! Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review, favorite, and follow! Ideas are always welcome! Remember to vote on my poll as well! :)**


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: All right, this is the last chapter before we begin the slow transition into the sequel. Like I said before, there are an estimated ten to fifteen chapters left. Maybe a few less depending on how long I make the chapters. I might end up making longer chapters, but I'm not sure. Anyway, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Read the previous thirty-nine disclaimers and you'll get the idea.**

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**CHAPTER 40:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

The feeling of sorrow quickly turned to anger as I lay on my bed and sulked about my life. I knew what I did was wrong and irresponsible, but I realized my mistakes and Dad still punished me anyway. What right did he have to take my things away?! Not only that, but I was also grounded for a month which was bound to make me go insane! Yeah, what I did was serious, but I didn't deserve this kind of treatment! Dad was just so hung up on trying to make me his version of a grownup, responsible woman that he didn't care how I felt!

That was it. I was _done_. I was going out tonight. I didn't have a car, I didn't have a way to contact my friends, but I didn't care. I was going to that bar tonight. Alone. That way Dad would see that he can't control me or make me change my ways. And he would see that I'm perfectly capable of making my own decisions, even if they were bad ones.

I waited the day away and at ten o'clock, I jumped off my balcony and onto a tree and climbed down to the ground. I took off running, knowing that my chance of escaping was slight to none. Luckily Dad was working the night shift, so that was one less vampire that I had to worry about. It would be a long, uncomfortable walk to the bar in these heels, but I was going to do it. Maybe my friends would be there and we could do the same thing as last night. I didn't really care if I had fun though, all I cared about was getting sweet, sweet revenge on Dad.

Two hours later, I arrived at the bar. My feet were aching, but as soon as I smelled the liquor, I regained my energy and the pain was forgotten. Some guy even gave me a new, unopened pack of cigarettes. I got myself a Strawberry Margarita and sat down on one of the barstools. I scanned the crowd, searching for a guy that I could hopefully dance with. I'm sure Dad would love it if I went around dancing with various drunk guys.

I partied hard for the next few hours. I smoked nine cigarettes, drank seven Margarita's, danced the night away, and even took some kind of drug that a girl handed to me. I felt like I was on a beach in Costa Rica. All was going well until this one girl came up to me.

"You're looking a little sick, maybe you should go home, you little baby," she cooed.

For some, really odd reason, this set me off. I lunged at her, knocking her to the ground. She screamed as I starting punching her. She gave me a few hits back.

"Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!" the crowd chanted.

I felt two sets of arms pulling me off of the girl. I struggled against them, but I soon felt my hands being bound behind my back. I was shoved into the backseat of a police car. When we arrived at the station, they tried to get me to tell them what happened, but I refused. They asked for my name and age, which I also refused. Finally they requested an alcohol and a drug test, which I again refused to do. They also gave me an opportunity to call someone to come and get me, which I turned down for obvious reasons.

That was when Chief Swan walked into the room. Of course he knew me since his daughter was dating Edward, and his mouth dropped open in shock when he saw me.

"Ella Cullen? Is that really _you_, Dr. Carlisle Cullen's _daughter_, in handcuffs?" he asked in shock.

Way to go Charlie. Way to give out all of my information in one breath.

Of course, they contacted my father and he came storming into the station. His look of disbelief and disappointment never left his face. This was SO not the plan. The trouble that I got into yesterday would seem like the best day of my life compared to the trouble I was going to be in because of this.

"You daughter here was arrested for fighting with another young lady at a _bar_. I have no idea how old your daughter is but it's obvious that she's not twenty-one. We are not sure if she has been drinking or taking drugs because she refuses to oblige to the tests," the cop that had arrested me said.

Dad looked at me disapprovingly. "I apologize sincerely for the trouble my daughter has caused you. This is not her normal behavior, and I will see to it that it doesn't happen again. Please give me the paperwork that I need to sign to discharge her and take her home."

The cop gave me a smug smile. "I'm tempted to keep her in custody for underage drinking, possible drug use, and disrespect of government authority."

Dad's eyes darkened a few shades and he sent off threatening waves that would frighten any person with half a brain.

"Listen, _Government Officer George_," Dad sneered. "First, my daughter is sixteen and I will NOT allow her to be kept in custody of anyone but _me_. Second, you have no proof of drug use, and I refuse to stand here and watch my daughter be accused of things she may not have done. And third, you can call yourself whatever sophisticated name you want, but it will NOT give you the power to keep my daughter in your custody. I am aware of the drinking issues, and those will be resolved by _me_. Now I ask again, please get me that paperwork that I need in order to bring my baby home. File whatever charges you want, but I will only pay the ones that are correct."

Dad's voice was scaring me as well. I didn't like Daddy being so far away. Hesitantly, the cop freed me from the handcuffs and allowed me to go to Dad. I ran straight over to him and buried my face in his chest. I wanted so much to start sobbing, but I was determined to keep strong. At least until we were alone in the car and I would no doubt receive a lashing from Dad's tongue.

Dad held me tightly as he signed whatever papers he had to sign. I was so glad that he was bailing me out. I had seen TV shows where parents would leave their kids in jail for a few days as a punishment for what they did. I was really touched that Dad cared enough to bail me out when I had done something wrong rather than leave me here. It made me feel _horrible _about what I had done. He was probably mad, disappointed, and hurt that I had disobeyed him. I would have benefited from following his directions, but I felt the need to get revenge on him instead. I realized how stupid and rude that was of me. Too bad I hadn't thought about this _before _I decided to go out.

"You're free to go I guess," the cop said glumly.

We left without another word. As soon as the car doors were shut, I expected the lecture and yelling to begin. To my extreme surprise, Dad said nothing. He just started driving and stared straight ahead. I took a deep breath and tried to hold in the tears and sobs that threatened to erupt. The silence seemed to be almost more hurtful than yelling, and that was really saying something.

"Daddy, please say something," I begged, barely keeping the sorrow out of my voice.

"What do you want me to say?" he asked disappointedly.

I looked down in shame. I wanted him to say that he forgave me, and that he would give me another chance, but I knew I didn't deserve it. Yelling would have been okay too. Anything was better than disappointed silence.

I looked out the window and noticed that we weren't heading toward home. I had no idea where we were.

"Where are we going?" I panicked.

Dad turned towards me. "To the hospital. I need to know what's in you system. Why do you sound so panicked?"

My heartbeat slowed considerably, only to pick back up again. I didn't want to go to the hospital.

"Dad, I don't want to go to the hospital. I'll tell you what I drank," I said.

"All right then, what did you take?" he asked.

"I drank seven Margaritas," I informed him.

His knuckles got whiter as they clenched the steering wheel. "Did you take any drugs?"

I gulped. "Yes, one pill. I don't know what it was."

"Then we still need to go to the hospital," he said finally.

I let a few tears slip down my face. "You're not going to abandon me, are you?"

The car came to an abrupt stop. This was it, this was where he would tell me to leave. He got out of the car, and came to my side. He opened the door and told me to get out.

"Come take a walk with me," he said.

I walked alongside him, tears streaming down my face. He led me into the woods until we came to a fallen tree. He sat down and gestured for me to sit with him. I cautiously sat down next to him, wondering what was going to happen.

"Ella, what would ever make you believe that I would abandon you?" he asked, his eyes burning into mine.

I started crying. "It's not like it's never happened to me before."

Dad pulled my chin up and looked sincerely into my eyes. "Ella, have _I _ever abandoned you before?"

"Well, no. But other people have."

"Am I other people? No. Ella, you are my _daughter_. I am you father, and my love is endless for you. Losing you would be like losing a part of myself. A part that could never be replaced. Ella, I _love _you, more than you could possibly ever know. The thought that I would ever abandon you scares and hurts me Ella. How did I give you the impression that I would abandon you?" he asked.

"I . . . you're mad at me. I made a bad choice and defied you. You were driving somewhere that I wasn't familiar with and you wouldn't speak to me. I thought you were taking me somewhere to tell me goodbye," I said.

"Sweetie I am so sorry that I gave you that impression. I was simply thinking and trying to calm down. Yes, I am angered by what you did, but nothing would anger me so much to cause me to leave you. Do you understand that?"

I nodded.

"Wonderful. Now let's go and get this over with so I can bring you home to your worried family and care for you. We will talk about what you did tonight later if you're not too tired or tomorrow morning. Come on," he said, getting off the log and helping me off at the same time.

Dad pulled me into a long, tight hug before walking me back to the car. We started driving again, and this time, the silence was comfortable. Dad's right hand securely held my left the whole way to the hospital. He was able to discreetly get me inside and into a private exam room.

"Ella, here's what we're going to do. I'm going to hook you up to and IV, and do a blood test. I'm going to let you relax and regroup for a while before we go home, all right? I will be here with you the whole time," Dad promised.

"Okay," I said weakly.

I barely felt the needle as he put in the IV. He drew blood quickly and left the room to put it in the lab. I didn't like being left alone, especially at a time like this. I never used to have a problem with being alone, but during these past few months, I always felt the need to be around people. Usually it was my friends, but if they weren't around, my family soothed the need. I had no idea why, but I was afraid to be alone. I was mostly confused by it. I hadn't had abandonment problems in years. You think it would've started right when I joined the Cullen family since I had been alone for so long, but instead it came eight years later. It was like the past come back to haunt me.

"I'll have your results in about a half hour. Are you doing okay Honey?" Dad asked, coming to stand at my side once again.

"Yeah, I'm fine. A little tired, but I'm fine."

"You should try and rest. Like I said, the results won't be in for a while," Dad suggested.

"I don't think I'll be able to sleep," I said.

"I can turn off the lights if that would help," Dad offered.

I sighed. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I don't want to go to sleep."

"Is something bothering you?" he asked.

"Well, yeah. I'm not exactly happy about what I did tonight," I mumbled.

"We'll talk about that later. It's almost two o'clock now and we should be home by three, so if you're not too tired, we'll talk then, okay?"

"I just don't understand how you're not lecturing me right now. I'm pissed and feel like yelling at myself," I said.

"Ella, I lectured and punished you yesterday and that apparently didn't work. I have a different method in mind that I'm going to try," he said.

"And what would that method be?" I asked nervously.

"Ella, I said that we would talk about this at home. I don't want to start anything here, in public, so just drop the matter for a while. I understand that you're upset and that you need to talk about it, but I need you to hold it in for just a little bit longer. Can you do that?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Good. Now I'm going to go see if your results are in," Dad said and left.

He returned a few minutes later with a file in hand. "All right, let me take the IV out of you and then let's go home."

"Aren't you going to tell me about the results?" I asked.

"I will at home," he said.

When we returned home, Dad had everyone leave after assuring them that I was all right and took me up to his study. I expected to sit at the desk like last night, but instead Dad sat me on the leather couch and pulled his desk chair in front of it. He sat down and crossed his legs, sporting a relaxed posture.

"Ella, if I gave you a lecture now, it would be the same one form last night, which I'm sure is still clear in your mind. Since you already know my thoughts on the subject, I want _you _to tell _me _about tonight. Tell me about your actions and your decisions. Tell me what you did wrong tonight." he said.

"First I disobeyed you. I snuck out when I was grounded – two misdeeds in one – and did the exact same thing that you had talked to me about the night before. I smoked, drank, and took drugs when I didn't even know what they were. I am also too young to do all of that. I went to the bar because I was mad at you and I didn't agree with your punishments. I was mad that you thought you had the right to ground and control me. I know that it was because I did something stupid, but I realize that. I realize that I did something stupid. When I told you that I wouldn't do it again, you didn't believe me and punished me anyway. I wanted to show you that you can't control me, so I went to the bar and did the things that I was being punished for all over again," I said.

"So you went to the bar, smoked, drank, took drugs, and put yourself in danger all because you were mad at me? Is there anything you want to add to that summary?" he asked.

I thought for a minute before answering. "I also got into a fight and ended up being arrested."

Dad smiled briefly. "I'm proud of you Ella. You realized each and every one of your mistakes. Now let's go to my desk and talk for a while."

I walked over and sat in one of the chairs. Dad cleared the desk off before opening my medical file from today and turning it towards me. I tried to read the information, but it didn't make any sense to me.

"I don't understand it," I told Dad.

"Let me help you," he said, taking a highlighter and drawing a small line on the page.

I looked down and saw one word.

Meth.

I gasped. "_That's _what I took?"

"Yes, without even knowing it. Do you realize how lucky you are to have a doctor for a father? If you hadn't had an IV, this would have ended very, very badly. The _worst _thing you could possibly do is mix drugs and alcohol. Do you realize that you almost _killed_ yourself?! How could you be so _**stupid **_and do something like that?!" Dad fumed.

I shrunk back in my seat. "I didn't know."

"Of course you didn't! Because you're too _young_! I don't make rules to try to control you Ella! I make them to protect you! I bend over backwards to try to keep you safe and all you do is make it as hard as possible!" he yelled.

"I'm sorry Daddy," I said, tears starting to slip down my face.

"Oh sure you are! You think that saying Daddy is going to get you out of trouble every time. Well let me tell you something, "Sorry Daddy" isn't going to help you when you're being dragged into a cop car being arrested for drinking and drug use!"

I started sobbing at that point. "I don't know what to say."

"Gabriella, frankly it doesn't matter what you say. I think we found that out tonight," he said.

"Daddy, I really am sorry. I don't know how to make you believe me, but just know that I am being honest when I say that. I don't want to be in trouble, it's true, but I know that I deserve it. Please give me just one more chance. I promise you won't be disappointed," I said.

Dad was angrily pacing behind his desk. He stopped and typed furiously on his laptop for a minute before turning it toward me. I wanted to look away, but he made me look at it.

"Is this how you want to end up?" he asked, clicking through several pictures of bloody, gory messes of what used to be teenagers.

"No Daddy I–"

"I have seen this over and over at the hospital. I can't be working there and wondering if my next patient will be you coming in looking like this," he said, his voice slightly more calm.

I just started bawling. There were no words for this. I was feeling more ashamed as the pictures progressed. It took everything I had not to look away. By the time Dad closed the screen, I felt like throwing up. No person should ever end up looking like the people in the pictures did.

"Ella, do you realize how much I care about you now?" Dad asked softly.

"Yes, I am so sorry Daddy!" I sobbed.

"I know that, Sugar Plum Princess. I forgive you, just never scare me like that again, okay? I will apologize for yelling at you but I will not apologize for showing you the pictures and saying what I said, because I meant it all. I don't like having to be stern with you, but you need someone to teach you, and I will do that," Dad said.

"I need a hug," I cried.

Dad came to my side and embraced me tightly. He laid his cheek on top of my head. He rubbed my back soothingly as I calmed down. I was so tired. Today had really taken it out of me.

"Ella, I teach you through love and understanding instead of anger and disappointment. I've found that it is more efficient and it strengthens relationships instead of tearing them apart. Since our relationship is already sometimes strained, I pray that this will work. Please don't make me reduce to harsh punishments, Baby Girl," he begged.

"I won't Dad," I promised.

"Thank you. Now let's get you to bed. You must be dead on your feet," he said.

I flopped down in bed exhausted. I _never _wanted to do that again.

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**A/N: Please review and vote on my poll! Thanks for reading! :-)**


	41. Chapter 41

**A/N: I apologize for the long wait. I've had yet another crazy week. I seem to be having a lot of those lately. I would like to thank you for your wonderful reviews, and to keep it up. Also, if any of you are reading Legacy, it will be updated on Friday. Anyway, here is Chapter 41. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own Twilight. Never have, never will. **

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**CHAPTER 41:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Spring Break had passed quickly and I was back in school. My friends tried to get me into the same trouble from before, but I refused. I was also grounded, which I was determined to take like a responsible, well-behaved teenager. That and Dad was also keeping a very close eye on me. I wanted nothing more than to earn his trust back, but I needed to be able to trust myself first.

"You should get this one!" Courtney encouraged.

We were at the mall trying on prom dresses. Courtney and Katie had both already found their prom dresses. I was torn between two, a knee-length black one and a strapless, deep red one with glittery rhinestones covering the chest. I had asked Mitchell's opinion when he gave me my prom ticket, which was done in a simple, unromantic manner, and said to get something pretty. Yeah, that was helpful when surrounded by _hundreds _of pretty dresses.

I decided on the red one. In the black one I kind of looked like the Black Widow. Katie had opted for the black one, but then again her style was pretty Goth. Courtney didn't really care about anyone's dress but hers, but she had told me to go with the red one. Besides, red and light brown hair went together really well.

Four days later I was walking into the Marriot Hotel Ballroom. I scanned the crowd in search of Mitchell. The low-lit atmosphere made it hard to see anything at all, but I eventually found Mitchell in the middle of the dance floor, showing off his incredible moves. Wait, was he _dancing _with someone? I walked closer to see the blonde-haired Brittany, Senior Queen Bee, tearing up the dance floor with Mitchell. I walked right up to him.

"What the Hell is going on?" I asked.

"Slight change in plans for my date to the dance," he said as if it was nothing at all.

"Are you _cheating _on me?!" I shrieked.

"Well, that is what people tend to call it these days."

I couldn't believe it. For the second time in my life, I was being cheated on. After receiving a smug look from Brittany, I walked toward the door with tears in my eyes. I went outside into the pouring rain and sat down on the curb. There surprisingly wasn't much traffic tonight. I rested my arms on my knees and cried into them. I sat there sobbing on the curb, when I was supposed to be dancing with Mitchell.

"Hey there, are you all right?" a gentle voice asked a few minutes later.

I looked up and saw Alec standing on the street in front of me. He was wearing a tux and with the way his hair shone in the rain, he looked like a movie star. I was shocked that he of all people would be standing there, asking if I was okay.

"No, my boyfriend and date to the prom cheated on me," I cried.

Alec sat next to me on the curb. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's not the first time," I said sadly.

He pulled the handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to me. I wiped my eyes and threw it onto my lap, noticing how close the color was to my dress.

"Would you like to be my date?" he asked.

I looked up at him in wonder. "Seriously?"

He smiled. "You're not the only one who was cheated on."

"I would love to, but I look like a drowned rat. No offense, but you do too," I said.

He smiled before standing up. "Then would you like to dance out here?"

"No one has ever asked me to dance before," I said. I was in complete shock.

He stuck out his hand. "It's about time you learn."

I smiled and stood up. He pulled me out into the middle of the street. The music could still be heard, and a slow song was playing. He put his hands on my waist and I reached to put my hands on his shoulders. I let him take the lead. We danced in a slow circle, staring into each other's eyes. The rain poured around us, but we paid no attention. Not a single car dared to interrupt our moment. My muddy heels clicked across the pavement, keeping a steady tempo. The song ended, and I a dropped my hands. Alec, however, pulled me closer against his chest.

"Can I get you anywhere?" he asked politely.

"No thank you, I don't have far of a walk. Thank you for dancing with me tonight, it really made me happy. Oh, and here's your handkerchief," I said.

He smiled. "Keep it. I don't need it."

I smiled and started walking home. Once I got in the forest, I took off my heels and slowed my pace. I was soaked and my dress was torn and muddy, but it had still been an amazing night. I was a little depressed about my recent loss of a boyfriend, but then I realized that Mitchell had never been much of a boyfriend. All he had ever done for me was gotten me into trouble, trouble that I was still not completely out of. Whenever I got the chance, I smoked. He had been the person to hand me my first cigarette, so I blamed him completely. I was addicted, and nothing was helping. Dad had tried several things, but after a certain amount of time without a cigarette, I would get violently sick. We had been able to reduce it to one every twelve hours, but that was my limit. I also kind of had a thing for drugs, but that was my own fault. I had secretly been trying this and that. I ordered drugs online and had them delivered discreetly to the door, looking like a regular package, and neither Dad or Mom had questioned it. I was an addict, and I was not proud of it.

I didn't want to think about the Hell that I would go through if Mom or Dad ever found out, because I was pretty sure they would. A part of me felt guilty, but a bigger, stupid part liked it. Drugs made me feel happy. The last thing I wanted was to be forced into Rehab.

I couldn't feel my feet by the time I reached the stairs of the house. Dad, Mom, and Alice quickly appeared after I came in the door.

"Dear God Ella! What happened?" Mom asked worriedly, drying my dripping hair with a towel.

"Tonight may have been the worst and best night of my life," I said.

"Is that even possible?" Edward asked.

"Ella, what happened? Why didn't you call someone to pick you up?" Dad asked.

"I wanted time to think. I went to the prom only to find out that Mitchell was cheating on me. I went outside to cry and a while later, I ended up dancing in the middle of the street with Alec," I said, batting my eyelashes at the memory.

"Aww, how romantic!" Alice gushed.

"Aren't you sad?" Edward asked.

"Not really. I realize now that Mitchell was never much of a boyfriend to me. He is a bad influence and has only gotten me into trouble. Because of him I have a problem with smoking and am grounded until the end of the school year. He is nothing but trouble," I said.

I didn't miss Dad's beam of pride, no doubt due to my realization of Mitchell. It dawned on me that Dad had probably known all along that Mitchell was no good, just like he had with Dylan.

"You look like you could use a hot shower," Mom commented.

"Yep," I said and walked upstairs to my room. I threw my muddy heels in the trash; they were ruined anyway. I took the handkerchief that Alec had given me and cut a heart out of it. I threw away the scraps before putting the heart under my bed. After giving Alice my dress to take material from, I jumped in the shower. When I was done, I acted like a child and put a pillowcase on my head and danced around my room, pretending to be getting married to Alec.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I was so glad that Ella had left Mitchell. I agreed with Ella on the bad influence part most definitely. He had gotten my little girl into things that I had always wished she would never get into. I had known from the second I had laid eyes on that boy that he was trouble. I would have told Ella to be careful, but I was supposed to let her make her own mistakes. Well she had, and had already corrected them herself. Now all that was left to do was cleaning up the mess that that mistake had left behind, meaning the smoking.

I had tried almost everything in the book, but all we had done was reduce it to two cigarettes each day. It was still a big step forward, but she wasn't cured by any means. I had suggested hypnotization, but Ella wouldn't go for that. I had told her about it, but even after explaining that it was no big deal and that I could even perform it on her myself, she declined. There had to be something, there just had to be.

"Carlisle?" Jasper asked, poking his head into my study.

"What do you need Jasper?" I asked softly. Jasper was my most distant son. He didn't like to be very involved with things. He mostly stayed back and observed. He was also by far the most respectful child in the family. He only spoke when spoken to or when he had a question. He never commented on anything unless asked for an opinion. My solider wasn't shy, just . . . cautious, especially around me. Jasper didn't give much information on his past, just the basics of it. If I didn't know better, I'd say he feared me. I did know that he'd had a very strict upbringing and newborn life, and that was bound to be the cause. I had a conversation with him long ago. I had made damn sure he understood that I loved him just the same as everyone else and that I would never hurt him.

"I was wondering if you would want to go on a short hunting trip with everyone tomorrow," he said.

I smiled at him. "I would love to, but if you are all leaving then I must stay here with Ella. She can't be left alone yet."

Jasper frowned. "Okay, I'll tell them."

"You and I will have to go sometime. Perhaps we could add your brother's and make it a Guy's Night Out," I said.

Jasper smiled. "That would be great."

"I love you, Solider. Never forget that," I said.

"I won't. Love ya too," he said before leaving.

My thoughts wandered back to Ella as I worked on today's paperwork. I didn't have to work tomorrow, and the family would be gone anyway, so I figured I could do something fun with Ella. She deserved to be rewarded; she had been taking her grounding in stride. She hadn't whined once, and had never asked to go anywhere. I was very impressed with her behavior and proud of the effort she was putting in to cure her smoking addiction. Ella was a very responsible young lady.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I had a terrible fit of giggles when I woke up and found that the pillowcase was still on my head. I heard my door open and the sound of Dad's amused voice.

"What are you doing, Goofy?" Dad asked.

"Getting married," I answered seriously.

I felt the pillowcase being removed from my head. "Isn't that something that seven-year-olds do?" he asked.

"Well I never got the chance when I was seven, so I had to make it up now," I said.

"Uh-huh. So, you have been coping well with your grounding, so I would like to reward you. The rest of the family had gone away on a short hunting trip, so why don't we make it a Daddy and Daughter Day?" he suggested.

"Sounds fun! What are we gonna do?" I asked.

"That's where you come in. What would you like to do on your one day of freedom?" he asked.

"I don't know. Maybe we could just sit around and watch movies? I don't really feel like doing anything today," I said.

"I suppose. Why don't you go pick out a movie while I make some popcorn?" Dad said.

I looked at him, shocked. "Wow, popcorn for breakfast? You sure have changed since I first met you."

He chuckled. "I'm in a good mood today."

My eyes got wider. "You're in a _good _mood? The world must be ending!

"Oh hush and go downstairs. I'll be there in a minute," he said.

I ran down the stairs and straight to the living room. We could have just watched TV in my room, but what fun would that be? I'd been confined to it for the past month. It was an adventure for me just to be able to be free in the house. And to be able to watch TV! Well, that was just the icing on the cake. I had gotten back the use of my phone for practical reasons, but there were no other electronics allowed until the end of the school year. Me and my dumb choices.

"Have you chosen a movie?" Dad asked, coming in with a bowl of popcorn.

"Yeah. I wanna watch Mean Girls," I told him.

Dad face-palmed. "Do we have to?"

"Well, you said I could decide, and I did, so, yes, you do have to watch the movie," I told him.

He sat down on the couch next to me. "Carry on then," he said.

I ordered the movie from On Demand and sat back to enjoy the film. I was laughing ten minutes in; everyone had such fun and interesting personalities. The movie continued, and I almost died laughing when Kady – the main character – fell in the garbage bin. Dad just shook his head at the nonsense that played across the screen. A while later, I realized that was what I had been like in third grade. A new girl who knew nothing of school and joined a group of snotty girls and made fun of other people. I winced as I remembered my eight-year-old self. If I could go back in time and change the way I treated those girls, I would.

"Finally! It's over," Dad said in relief.

"I liked it," I said.

"I'm glad, because I sure didn't," he said.

I smiled. "So what are we going to do now?"

"That would be up to you, My Dear," Dad said kindly.

"Could I go shopping with some friends?" I asked.

Dad shook his head. "No you may not. You are supposed to be grounded and I am not willing to trust you to go out on your own yet."

"How do I earn that trust back?" I asked.

"I will give you another chance at the end of the school year. For now, your punishment stays except for your little break today. Do not argue with me or you are going to go back to spending the day in your room," Dad said.

"I'm sorry," I said sadly.

"It's all right Angel. I'm not mad. You asked a question, and you are always allowed to ask questions."

I looked out the window and got an idea. "I changed my mind, can we go outside?"

"Of course," Dad said, getting up and following me out the door.

We wandered down to the river. I had always thought it would be the perfect place to go swimming, but Dad said that the current was too strong. That was many years ago, and I was bigger now. I slowly got closer and closer to the edge of the river as we walked. Then, I fell sideways into the cold but bearable water. I let myself go under, pretending to struggle, until I felt Dad jump in and reach for me. Just when he was about to grab me, I swam away and broke through the surface. I started laughing immediately.

"You little . . ." Dad started.

I splashed him in the face with water. He got me right back. We had a splash-fight until I was out of breath. I went to swim to the side to pull myself up onto dry land and accidently scraped my leg on a sharp rock. I hissed in pain.

"Ella!" Dad exclaimed and pulled me out of the water. There was a deep cut running down my right leg.

"I'm sorry Daddy," I sobbed.

"Don't apologize. Let's just get this cleaned up. I'm going to carry you back to the house, okay?" Dad said soothingly.

I nodded and felt myself flying. Before I knew it I was sitting on Dad's desk. He grabbed his black medical bag – a bag I had learned to fear over the years – and put a bright light over my leg. He rubbed the gash down with peroxide, which burned like Hell, and cleaned out the wound. Luckily I didn't need stitches, but by the end my leg was wrapped firmly in gauze.

"I'm sorry for making you work on your day off," I said guiltily. If only I hadn't jumped in the river to begin with.

Dad chuckled. "It's a good thing I enjoy my work. And we can still give tomorrow another shot, right?"

Dad and I just sat on the couch and watched movies for the rest of the day. The family came home later that night, and of course Emmett made fun of me for my accident. I hobbled upstairs to my room with my grounding back in session. At least there was only one week left of school, then I would be free. Except I wasn't allowed to drive until the day after my birthday.

My mind wandered to Mitchell after a while. I wasn't too terribly sad about finding out that he was cheating on me. I had no reason to be. Maybe I would always have trouble with boys. Boys were trouble, plain and clear.

I suddenly got inspired. I grabbed my guitar and sat down on my couch. Lyrics came easily to me.

**Once upon a time a few mistakes ago  
I was in your sights, you got me alone  
You found me, you found me, you found me  
I guess you didn't care, and I guess I liked that  
And when I fell hard you took a step back  
Without me, without me, without me**

**And he's long gone when he's next to me**  
**And I realize the blame is on me**

**'Cause I knew you were trouble when you walked in**  
**So shame on me now**  
**Flew me to places I'd never been**  
**'Til you put me down, oh**  
**I knew you were trouble when you walked in**  
**So shame on me now**  
**Flew me to places I'd never been**  
**Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground**  
**Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble**  
**Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble**

**No apologies, he'll never see you cry**  
**Pretend he doesn't know that he's the reason why**  
**You're drowning, you're drowning, you're drowning**  
**Now I heard you moved on from whispers on the street**  
**A new notch in your belt is all I'll ever be**  
**And now I see, now I see, now I see**

**He was long gone when he met me**  
**And I realize the joke is on me, yeah!**

**I knew you were trouble when you walked in**  
**So shame on me now**  
**Flew me to places I'd never been**  
**'Til you put me down, oh**  
**I knew you were trouble when you walked in**  
**So shame on me now**  
**Flew me to places I'd never been**  
**Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground**  
**Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble**  
**Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble**

**And the saddest fear comes creeping in**  
**That you never loved me or her, or anyone, or anything, yeah**

**I knew you were trouble when you walked in**  
**So shame on me now**  
**Flew me to places I'd never been**  
**'Til you put me down, oh**  
**I knew you were trouble when you walked in (you were right there, you were right there)**  
**So shame on me now**  
**Flew me to places I'd never been**  
**Now I'm lying on the cold hard ground**  
**Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble**  
**Oh, oh, trouble, trouble, trouble**

**I knew you were trouble when you walked in**  
**Trouble, trouble, trouble**  
**I knew you were trouble when you walked in**  
**Trouble, trouble, trouble**

I smiled. Singing and writing music was my favorite way of expressing my feelings. It also helped me get over things. This guitar is one of the best gifts I have ever received.

* * *

**A/N: I couldn't think of a better way to end the chapter, so I decided on a song. Chapter 42 will be posted as soon as I can. Please review! Also check out my other stories and vote on my poll. **


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N: I am so sorry for the long wait. I was in the hospital for a few days and had to get surgery, but I'm doing great now. I'm not getting as many reviews as I used to, what happened to that? Thank you for reading anyway and I hope you like this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Um . . . Okay, I got nothing. I don't own Twilight. There, I said it. **

* * *

**CHAPTER 42:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"It's like I'm just drawn to trouble. I can't go anywhere, do anything without it turning into a . . . a disaster. My life has been like this from the start, and it seems to continue. I don't want to be stuck with it forever. Every time something bad happens, all of the bad things in my life come back all at once, like a kaleidoscope of memories, it just all comes back. It seems like there's no point in trying. I mean, first with Dylan, and then with Mitchell, is there any hope for me yet?" I asked.

I was lounging by the fireplace with my sister, Rosalie, talking about boy problems. I had been really down lately, with the breakup and all of that. I was . . . depressed, you could say. It was May when I had broken up with Mitchell. Now it was towards the end of August, and I still wasn't over it.

"There is most definitely hope for you. You're young, and you have your whole life ahead of you. I know that relationships haven't been easy for you but, I mean, come on. Dylan was your first love, which usually doesn't work out well for anybody, and, let's face it, we both know that Mitchell was bad from the start. His attitude and motorcycle should have been a good indicator from the start," Rosalie said with a smile.

"I agree with you there, but it's just discouraging, you know? I mean, I'm seventeen, shouldn't I have a steady boyfriend by now?" I asked.

"Not necessarily," she said. "When I was your age, I thought that I had found my soul mate."

"Royce?" I asked.

"No." Her eyes darkened. "_Matthew_."

"I feel a story coming on," I said.

"Matthew was the son of one of my father's friends. He was middle-class, like me, and kept up a crazy and unpredictable life. The only reason he lived with his parents was to fund his extravagant lifestyle. We met each other at a banquet held by my father's bank company. At the time, I was very rebellious toward my parents – I thought that they were treating me unfairly – and I saw him as a chance to piss off my parents. We got to talking, and of course he was interested. I later found out it was only because of my looks and status. He was a bad influence, taking me to bars and trying to persuade me to have sex. A friend of mine talked some sense into my and I left him, three days before he was arrested for underage drinking and sexual harassment. I realize now that I would have been arrested along with him if I hadn't left him when I did. Of course, only months later I got engaged to a man much worse than Matthew," she sniffed.

"How do I fit in?" I asked.

"The second I met Mitchell, he instantly reminded me of Matthew. I just somehow knew that relationship would not end well for you, I think everybody in the family did. Since you're currently in your rebellious stage, as was I at that age, you're attracted to guys that may not be the best for you. Bad Boys, you would call them."

"Not anymore," I muttered.

She smiled. "Yes, who would've thought that you'd end up falling for Alec, your Middle School Enemy."

I slapped her arm. "Shut up, I'm not falling for him. He was just being a gentleman that night. And besides, I'm taking a break from dating at least until I'm done with high school, which is in like, ten months, so don't start trying to tell me I'm in love, because I'm not.

"That fact that you denied it just shows that it's true. Case closed," Rosalie smirked.

I stood up from the floor.

"That's it, I'm done with your sisterly advice. I'm going for a walk, and you are not welcome to join me."

She grinned. "Are you sure you're not grounded?"

I glared at her. "That ended on my birthday and you know it."

She grinned again before getting up and going upstairs, to her room, I guessed. I walked to the door and pulled on my boots before stepping out into the cold August air.

I always went for walks when I was upset or stressed out. It was a great way to clear my head and hey, it's never bad to exercise. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, Rosalie had helped me greatly. Mitchell was truly a bad boyfriend in all sense of the word. She was also right; I was young and did have plenty of time and chances. I needed to play the field a little bit. There are plenty of boys in the world besides the ones at school.

I walked for a while longer before stopping to rest on a fallen tree trunk just off my personal trail that I had memorized and walked several times. I sat and observed the familiar scenery that surrounded me. The treetops swayed in the wind, the ferns created a green carpet below, and animals skittered about. I was enveloped in my thoughts when the sound of quick footsteps startled me. I turned in my seat and saw a small, blonde-haired boy standing not even eight feet away. I gasped, the child had red eyes.

An immortal child. Dad had told me stories about them, about the beautiful terrors that weren't allowed to live because of their inability to be discreet. Yet here, in my hometown forest, was an immortal boy.

"H-Hi there," I whispered.

"Hello," the child's angelic voice rang out.

"What's your name?" I asked.

"Zachariah," he answered. "What's yours?"

"Gabriella, but I go by Ella," I told him. "How old are you?"

"One," he said.

I felt sick to my stomach. This adorable, intelligent little boy, only one year of age, had an immediate death sentence for something that wasn't his fault. His blonde hair flopped down in front of his innocent eyes. His chubby little hands hung relaxed at his sides. It was hard to believe that this child was deemed as a monster.

Zachariah was suddenly sitting on my lap, looking up at me expectantly.

"Ella, you have to help me," he begged.

At that moment I felt like crying. He knew what the vampire world thought of him, and that they would be after him and kill him as soon as they found out he existed. This child didn't want to be a monster. He wanted help and protection from something that he shouldn't have to fear.

"Of course I'll help you, but I am only human. Which brings me to my next question, how can you stand to be by me?" I asked.

"It's my gift. I have control of when I feed. I have been surrounded by humans when I haven't fed for a week, but there was no pain in my throat. I feed when I want," Zachariah said.

"That's a really great gift to have, especially in your situation. I will do everything I can to help you, I promise. Let's start by getting you home and into a bath," I said, taking his hand and leading him toward home.

When we got there, I was able to sneak Zachariah up to my room unnoticed. Then again, Rosalie and Emmett were the only ones home. Dad wasn't home from work yet, Mom was in Connecticut, trying to make arrangements to construct a house there, Alice was out shopping with Jasper dutifully tagging along, and Edward was at Bella's house.

"Do you need help bathing?" I asked as I pulled Zachariah's muddy shirt off of him.

"Yes please," he said politely.

To be honest, I had no clue what I was doing. I had never babysat before, and I had never bathed anyone except for myself. He stayed still as I washed his hair and he was capable of washing his own body once I gave him the materials, so I didn't have to do much. I put his dirty clothes into the wash so that he would have something clean to put on when he was done with his bath. I helped him get dressed before bringing him out into my room. I looked at the clock and found that it was past eight-thirty, Dad would be home.

I decided that the only way I would be able to save this boy is with Dad's help. He understood the Volturi's way of thinking better than anybody. I carried Zachariah to my Dad's study. We both took a few deep, steadying breaths before knocking on the door.

"Come in," Dad's voice invited.

I slowly stepped in. Dad looked up and gasped in shock. He breezed to the other side of the room and pressed his back against the window.

"Ella! What are you doing with an _immortal child_?" he asked, astonished.

"Dad, I can explain everything. Zachariah isn't the monster that you think he is. First, he understands a lot more than your average one-year-old. Second, he has a gift that allows him to control when he feeds. That's why he can stand to be so close to me. I found him in the woods when I went for a walk. Dad, he's just a kid and he needs help, like I did when I was little. Can't you do something?" I asked.

Dad slowly came closer to me and Zachariah. He took the boy from me and held him at an arm's length. I saw that Zachariah was shaking with fear. I felt so bad for the kid.

"Hey, it's okay Buddy. My name's Carlisle, and I won't hurt you. Can you tell me about your past?" Dad asked gently, his paternal nature taking over his natural response.

"I don't remember anything," he said.

"How long have you been immortal?" Dad asked curiously.

The boy looked down. "Only sixteen days."

Dad's expression turned to one of pain and sadness. He pulled Zachariah to his chest, like he'd done with me time and time again. "Your coven left you?"

"I awoke alone," he said sadly.

"I'm sorry you've been neglected. Ella, could you leave for a while please? I need to speak with Zachariah," Dad told me.

I walked out and closed the door behind me.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I am usually good at dealing with peculiar situations, but this was one that shocked me by far. The main thing was that this was an immortal child, and it could control its thirst very well. He understood most things and had an astounding vocabulary. I knew that regardless of the child's capabilities, the Volturi would kill him. The child was also a danger to my entire family just for that reason.

"Have a seat Buddy, I think we need to talk," I told the boy, gesturing to the chairs in front of my desk. I sat down in my leather chair and prepared myself for the surely heartbreaking conversation that was about to take place.

"What happened when you awoke?" I asked.

"I was scared. My throat hurt and I didn't know what was happening. I slaughtered nearly all of Ontario, and found out what I was. I few days later I discovered my gift, and used it to help me feed. I ran nonstop because I knew about the Volturi. I was simply running when I found Ella in the woods. Now I am here," the boy said, venom tears rolling down his face.

I reached out my hand to him, unsure of what to do. Since he slaughtered Ontario, the Volturi were surely going to find out and start tracking him. This child had a death sentence, and there was nothing I could do to change that. Another worry was that he already had Ella wrapped around his finger, whether he realized it or not. Zachariah had charmed Ella the way I had been charmed by the immortal children I had met. This was not a good situation.

"Carlisle, I need help," the boy cried.

"I know Buddy, I know. Do you have any idea where your coven might be?" I asked.

He shrugged. "No. There was no trace of vampire anywhere in Canada."

Well that complicated things. I wanted to help this boy, but at the same time I didn't want an immortal child in my hands either. If push came to shove, I knew that I would have to give the boy to the Volturi and hopefully save my family.

"Well boy, there sure is now. You are no doubt going to be on the Volturi's radar and they will find you. Unfortunately, there is nothing I can do to change that."

He looked up at me with frightened red eyes. "I know, but can you help me at least until they find me?"

At that point, I just broke. I leaned over the desk and picked Zachariah up. I sat him in my lap and just held him close. This child was scared out of his mind. He knew that he was going to die, but he just wanted love before he did. I despised the sick, twisted, evil creature that had turned an innocent child, dooming him to death.

"I don't know my dear boy, I just don't know. I'm so sorry this happened to you. You certainly don't deserve it," I told him, rubbing his back as he sobbed into my shoulder.

I comforted the boy until he calmed down. He asked where Ella was, so I called her back into the room. He ran to her immediately. Ella scooped him up and balanced him on her hip. Zachariah rested his head on her shoulder and sighed contentedly. I gave Ella the "we-need-to-talk" look and she nodded. She told the child that he could play on her iPad while she spoke to me. She carried him away and was back shortly.

"So what are we going to do Dad?" she asked.

"I am not one hundred percent sure. I don't want to keep him here because I'm already walking a thin line with you. I was thinking about giving Carmen and Eleazar a call. I bet they'd be more than willing to take him in, and the Volturi will just take Zachariah and leave them alone since Eleazar used to be a member of the Volturi," I told her.

"Dad that's not right. You can't just hand him off so that you don't have to deal with it anymore," she said.

"Ella, I will not put our family in danger. No matter where he goes, he will not live. Carmen and Eleazar will give him a good life until it has to end. This is not your decision Ella, it's mine," I said strongly.

She slammed her fist down on the desk. "Why are you so damn selfish?! He's just a poor child, it's not his fault! It's not like we changed him, so we're fine! I found him **AND I WANT TO KEEP HIM!**" she screamed, tears of anger rolling down her face.

"Gabriella Dixie Cullen, that is quite enough! You better watch your attitude Young Lady or –"

"I'm sorry Dad, I didn't mean to scream at you. I just . . . I just love him. He's not even mine, but I'm really attached," she sobbed.

I closed my eyes and sighed. This is exactly what I was afraid of.

"Ella, Darling, I understand your feelings, really I do. I felt the exact same way when I met the immortal children. But you know what; it wasn't my choice to make. And besides, you are only seventeen and you do not need to be caring for a child."

"I can handle it!" she protested.

"Sweetheart, I don't doubt that one bit. You are a very strong girl and you continue to amaze me every day. However, this is something that not even I can handle. It is what it is, and we just need to accept that. Carmen and Eleazar have dealt with similar situations before, and Zachariah may get to live longer if he's with them. That is what you want, isn't it?" I asked.

"Well, yeah but I just love him so much already," she sobbed.

"I know Honey. It will be hard, but it's something that needs to be done. It's a good thing that you were in the woods today though, you helped this boy and most likely saved many human's lives. And you still have tonight, so go tend to the boy that you love so dearly. Think of it as a chance to babysit, and that's it," I told her.

"Okay, but can you tell the rest of the family?" she asked.

"Of course. I'm going to tell Emmett and Rose and call everyone else right now," I said.

She nodded and solemnly left. I sighed. This wasn't going to be easy on anyone.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I bolted up the stairs to my room. I didn't want to waste another second of the small amount of time that I had left to be with my child . . . er, **the** child. Zachariah was sitting on the floor playing on my iPad without a care in the world. That was the best thing about electronics, you could just escape.

"Zach?" I said to get his attention. He looked up. "We need to talk."

He shut off the iPad and came to sit next to me on the bed. I wrapped my arm around him and he snuggled in closer.

"Yes?" he asked curiously.

"I'm so sorry to tell you this, but you don't have very much time left with me. My Dad says that the only way you'll be safe for a while longer is if you go live with his friends in Alaska. Their names are Carmen and Eleazar, they are very nice," I told him.

"But I don't wanna go. I wanna stay with you," he said.

My heart nearly broke. "I wanna stay with you too, but sadly that won't work out. You can call me every day though, and if I get time, maybe I'll come visit you."

"I wanna stay here!" he yelled, hitting his hands against the bed.

"I'm sorry but you can't. I wish you could, I really do, but sometimes we don't always get what we want. Sometimes we just have to accept things for what they are and go with them, no matter how much we hate it," I said.

He started bawling and sat in my lap. I cuddled him as he cried, singing quietly in his ear. He eventually calmed down and relaxed into my warm embrace. We sat like that for a few minutes before Dad came in.

"Ella, I need to run to the store and get a few things. Emmett and Rose are just out hunting close to home and will be back in about an hour. Don't do anything and stay in the house," Dad said sternly, looking me in the eye. "You too," he said to Zachariah.

"Don't leave me alone," Zachariah said.

I looked down at him. "It's not my decision."

"There must be something you can do," he said.

"I don't . . ." And then it hit me.

"Zach, there's a professional camera in the basement. It's in the storage room, sitting out in the open. Go get it please," I told him. He left without question.

I grabbed my suitcase and began stuffing whatever clothes I could get my hands on into it. I had everything that I needed packed by the time Zach returned, camera in hand.

I quickly snapped his picture and went on the computer and made a passport ID page. I printed it out and grabbed Dad's passport. I ripped out his ID page and replaced it with Zach's. I went online and bought tickets for Houston and Rio, and then finally reserved a boat to get us to the island. I grabbed everything and ran out the door with Zach right behind me.

"Do you need to hunt?" I asked him.

"No, I'm good for three days," he told me.

"Okay, I want you to keep walking at a human pace down the road. I'm going to change into different clothes quick and I'll catch up with you. Go," I said.

I ran behind a tree and stripped. I put on a fancy red blouse, a black, knee length leather skirt with a high waist, and black six-inch heels. This outfit made me look like I was at least in my twenties, which was all I needed. I picked up my clothes and ran to catch up with Zach. As we got closer to the heart of town, I was able to hail a taxicab.

"Airport," I told the driver as I pulled Zach into the car with me.

We made it to the airport with only twenty minutes till departure time. I practically threw my suitcase at the luggage check-in lady and kept running. I pushed in front of a bunch of people in the security line and rushed Zach and myself through customs. I turned in our tickets and sprinted towards the gate. They were just about to close the gangway when we burst through. We flopped down into our first-class seats and I let out a big breath of air.

"We made it," I said breathlessly.

"What is this?" Zach asked.

"An airplane. We get to places quickly by flying through the air. It still takes a few hours to get from place to place, but it's faster than driving or walking," I explained.

"Really? Where are we going?" he asked.

"Houston, and then to Rio. Then we are taking a boat to my mother's island called Isle Esme. It secret and safe there. I'll never let you go," I told Zach and kissed his head.

The plane started moving.

"I'm freaked out," Zach said nervously.

"Yeah, I know the feeling. It's going to be okay though, I've flown many times before," I said soothingly.

I made sure Zach was settled and occupied, again with the use of my iPad, before tilting my seat back and closing my eyes. This was by far the most dangerous move I've ever made in my life. I created fake ID's for myself and an immortal child so that we could travel hundreds of miles to hide from the Volturi that killed immortal children. I was risking my life along with Zachariah's. Instead of being a good girl and turning Zach in to the Volturi myself or going along with Dad's plan, I chose to take the risks of keeping him alive. I wasn't sure yet if it was the right decision or not.

"Wake me up when they announce descent," I told Zachariah before dosing off.

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**A/N: Things are about to get complicated for the Cullen family! Since I have been having trouble updating this story and my other one, Legacy, I've decided to switch off chapters. I am going to update Legacy next, and then this one and the pattern will continue. Expect another update in three to four days, but you never know, it might be sooner. Please, please, please, PLEASE review. They give me inspiration and ideas are ALWAYS welcome. Also check out my other stories and vote on my poll. Thanks for reading! :)**


	43. Chapter 43

**A/N: I want to thank everyone who reviewed previously and keep it up! You know how much I appreciate them! Not much to say . . . enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I own the plot, the characters, and the story itself. I do not own the Twilight Saga.**

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**CHAPTER 43:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

We landed in Houston and again had to run to catch our flight to Brazil. Once the plane was in the air and Zach was settled, I again tilted my chair and closed my eyes. Not to sleep, but to think. I had no clue what I was doing. I had money, sure, but I didn't speak the native language, I didn't know how to take care of a child, an immortal one at that, and I knew that I wouldn't be able to fight for myself or the boy if the Volturi came. My family would be worried sick, and I couldn't even imagine what Dad would think of me. I didn't want to.

"Ella? What are we going to do?" Zachariah's small voice asked about two hours in.

I sighed. "I'm asking myself the same thing. To tell you the truth, I have absolutely no idea. My mission is to save you, but I'm not completely sure how to do that. I figured that getting out of the country and going somewhere desolate to hide would at least buy us some time. Let's just get to the island, and maybe we can relax before making our next move," I said.

"I wish I was human," Zach said.

"This is one time that I wish I _wasn't _human. I would be able to protect you better and we could have a better chance of escaping," I said.

"I could bite you," he offered.

That made me smile. "Thank you, but I don't think that will work out well for either of us. And I also don't want to be a vampire, at least not yet. I want some time to really live first, and then I plan on talking to my dad. I realize that life is valuable, and I don't want to give it up too quickly."

Zachariah frowned before turning his attention back to the movie that was playing. I leaned back in my seat and closed my eyes, hoping to fall asleep. I was going to need a lot of energy until Zach and I got things figured out. He only needs a safe place to hide. But where that safe place is, I may never find out.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"Are you sure Carmen and Eleazar will take Zachariah into their hands? Would they take the risk of having an immortal child?" Esme asked me.

I sighed and stared out at the sun that was just starting to peek out. I guessed that it was about six in the morning. Mornings were usually my favorite part of the day because they were the start of a new one, but this particular morning on the couch with my wife wasn't one that I was enjoying very much.

"I really hope so. Ella's already so attached and I'm afraid that any more time with him will make it impossible to pry her away. I'm already dreading having to do that, which is why I plan on calling them as soon as they get back from their hunting trip," I said.

"Could you go sneak the child out of Ella's room?" my wife asked.

"Yes, I think you should meet him," I said.

I very carefully and quietly climbed the stairs to my daughter's room where she was sleeping and the immortal boy was staying. I knew for a fact that Ella's room was very interesting, so he probably wasn't bored.

I slowly opened the door. The bed was vacant, and there was no sign of her or the boy anywhere. The curtains were drawn, all of the lights were off, and clothes were strewn all over the place. The only sign of life was Angel, who looked up at me with worried eyes.

I walked closer to the bed and saw a small amount of blood in the center. All of the pieces suddenly came together, forming the picture in my mind. There was only one thing that could've happened; Zachariah had lost control and killed Ella. I walked over to the glass doors leading out to the balcony and pushed aside the curtain. Sure enough, the doors were unlocked. He had closed the curtains to make it look like it was undisturbed, when really he was carrying Ella's drained body out the door. I went out onto the balcony and jumped down onto the grass. I circled the house until I caught their scents, which led down the driveway. I followed it until it cut off, which was halfway into town. That meant that he had probably jumped up into the trees and was still running with Ella's body.

I robotically walked back into the house. I dropped down onto the living room floor and tried unsuccessfully to choke back the sobs. My family instantly gathered around me, an expression of worry on each of their faces.

"Carlisle, what's wrong?" Esme panicked.

Edward gasped and dropped down onto the floor next to me.

"What?!" Jasper asked.

"She's dead. He killed her. The child killed her," Edward whispered.

"Where is he?" Rosalie asked.

"Gone," Edward said.

Esme started sobbing, venom tears rolling down her face. I wanted so much to comfort her, but I couldn't move my body.

My child was dead, and there was no bringing her back to life.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I stood up and went to pick up the stuff that I had on my seat. I saw a small spot of blood, and my cheeks flushed. I really had to do a better job of keeping track of my period.

Zach and I took a cab to the docks where the boat I requested was waiting. My parents had brought me to the island for my Sweet Sixteen, and I remembered that you just had to go straight to get to the island. I threw my suitcase in and started the engine. Dad had taught me how to drive a boat, and it was pretty fun. If only this were under better circumstances.

Forty-five minutes later, Isle Esme came into view. We got there shortly and I grabbed my suitcase and walked up to the house. I got the key from under the rug and went inside. I dropped my suitcase and turned on the lights.

"It's so nice here," Zachariah acknowledged.

I nodded in agreement. "Now we can relax for a few days."

And that was just what we did. We went swimming, played tag, explored the island, and just forgot about all our worries. Zach was really a nice kid. He was respectful, and even made do with fish blood since I couldn't let him go to the mainland. It was the sixth night of our vacation and Zach and I plopped down on the big white bed after a full day.

"I love this place!" Zach exclaimed.

I smiled. "Me too."

"I can't wait for tomorrow," he said wistfully.

"Let me get some sleep first," I mumbled, and turned tiredly onto my side.

"I love you Mama," Zach said, before lying down with my iPad beside me.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

That first week without Ella was the hardest week of my life. It was the same for everyone else as well. I had spent the entire time alone in my study, just staring off into space, wishing that reality wasn't real. I dropped my gaze to the floor and saw a small, light blue card lying face down on the floor. I picked it up and saw that it was my passport ID page. With my forehead scrunched, I dug through the drawer that I kept my passport in. It wasn't in there. I saw that a card of the same size was cut from the special paper that I used to create our false legal documents. I tapped the mouse on my laptop and saw that the Delta website was pulled up. I saw a recent order of tickets to Rio de Janeiro.

Ella was not dead, she had run away! She must have gone to the island to hide Zachariah. I darted down the stairs and told everyone the news. Minutes later I went back upstairs and ordered plane tickets for the entire family. I had to get Ella back. She would not get away with this.

"That's enough Emmett," I said to my rambunctious son who couldn't behave for the life of him. He gave me the "I'm-innocent-Daddy" look from across the aisle. Esme and I were off to the side in private seats while the children shared the five places in the middle. Of course, Esme had made me sit on the outside so that I would have to be the one to deal with the children. It occurred to me now that I should _not_ have allowed them to choose their own seats. Right now, they were seated in the worst arrangement imaginable; Alice, Edward, Emmett, Jasper, and finally, Rosalie, who was sulking because her mate had chosen his siblings over her. As of now, Emmett was wrestling with Jasper, which is not good considering they are sitting in a confined area, Alice and Edward were arguing about Bella, who was currently staying on the Rez, and Rosalie was about ready to smack them all.

I couldn't hear exactly what it was, but Edward mumbled something to Alice that made tears begin to streak down her face.

"Edward!" I admonished.

"Esme, can we switch places?" sobbed little Alice.

"Of course Dear," Esme said as they switched places.

"What did he say that upset you so, Sweetheart?" I asked lovingly.

"It wasn't him. It was a vision. It's the Volturi. They know," she whispered brokenly.

All of the fighting stopped and everyone froze.

"What exactly do they know?" I asked.

"They know about the child," she whispered. "And they know he's with Ella."

I sucked in a breath. "Do they know where?"

"No, but Demetri's starting the hunt as we speak," Alice said.

"Will we have time to make it back home before they find them?" I asked.

"No," she answered. "The fight will take place on the island."

"_Fight_?"

"Aro thinks you changed Zachariah," she explained. "And he won't take time to listen. They plan on ambushing us tomorrow night at eleven twenty-six."

"We'll lose," I choked.

Alice nodded sadly.

"There has to be a way," Jasper said.

"If you want to go up against the Volturi, then you go right ahead and do that. If there's nothing we can do about it anyway, then why are we going? I love Ella, but I'm not willing to risk my life for something that will be wasted. God Carlisle, why did you have to drag us all into this?" Rosalie said harshly.

"Rose," Esme reprimanded softly.

"No, it's all right. We are all under tension right now, and we all have different ways of dealing with it. Let's just try to relax and stay peaceful for the rest of the flight, okay?" I said.

"Oh sure Carlisle, just butter it all up and push it away to be dealt with later. Maybe it will get solved on its own," Rosalie said sarcastically.

I put my hand on Alice's shoulder. "Darling, would you mind switching places with Rosalie for the rest of the flight?"

"Sure Daddy," Alice said and obediently stood up.

Rosalie pushed past Alice on her way over and plopped down in the seat next to me. She folded her arms and stared out the window. I reached out my arm and wrapped it around her waist, knowing she needed comfort. She shrugged away and put down the armrest to separate our seats before resuming her hostile position. I let it go, and just let my left palm face upwards on the armrest, ready to be taken and offer comfort when accepted. Rose responded by sticking her nose up in the air and turning her whole body away from me. I gave a small smile at her childish behavior.

A few minutes later, she caved. She put her hand in mine and sat in a more relaxed position. I rubbed soothing circles on the back of her hand with my thumb. Shortly after that, she shoved up the armrest and curled into my side. I wrapped both arms around her and tucked her head into my shoulder.

"It's okay Rose. You don't need to be strong all the time," I told her soothingly.

She turned further and I felt venom tears slowly trickle onto my neck.

"I'm just so worried about Ella," she said. "I don't want to lose my sister."

"We all are Sweetie. And I assure you that we won't lose Ella. I would never let that happen. I would never let any of you die," I said.

I couldn't know that, but what was I supposed to tell her. The Volturi will kill us all before we get the chance? I think not. Rosalie knew that wasn't true, but I knew that she would somehow take comfort in it, and that was my goal. You couldn't break down and cry as a parent, you needed to be strong for your kids, because someday they will have to do the same thing.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I didn't wake up till four that afternoon. And when I did, I couldn't find Zach. I shot up out of bed and ran out the door, forgetting that I was only in my tank top and panties. Oh well, at least it was a private island.

"Zach!" I called as I started out the door.

"Mama! You're finally awake!" he exclaimed, dropping down from a tree above, scaring the living daylights out of me.

"Stay in the house while I get dressed. Then we can go hiking or something," I told him.

The temperature was warmer than usual today. Average was about seventy to eighty degrees Fahrenheit, but when I checked the thermometer today, it was almost ninety. Now I was sounding like the weather girl. I quickly threw on a pink tank top and denim shorts and set out the door with Zach in tow.

"Where do you want to go?" I asked him.

"The waterfall," he said.

I lay back on the grass and stared up at the green canopy of palm tree leaves that filtered the burning sun. Zach played by the edge, dropping small rocks and watching them disappear into the rushing river below. I closed my eyes and listened to the beauties of my mother's island. The loud rushing of the water, the chirp of the cheerful birds, the buzz of exotic insects . . . it was all pure bliss.

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a cascade of icy water.

"Hey!" I shouted and heard the unmistakable giggle of a one-year-old boy.

I chased him, but he was way too fast for me. He flung himself off the water fall and landed with a splash. He was standing next to me again before I had time to process what had happened. We played around for a few more hours before flopping onto the ground in exhaustion. I snuggled him in my arms. We were in our own, perfect world right now. But we also both knew that it would not last for long.

"Gabriella!" Dad's voice shouted.

I jumped to my feet and pulled Zach behind me, my premature maternal instincts kicking in.

"Dad?" I asked disbelievingly.

"Why, Ella? Why would you leave us like that? For a whole entire week, we believed you were dead!"

My heart skipped a beat. "Dad I never meant for –"

"Regardless of your intention, it still happened. We will talk about this later," he said sternly.

I lost it right there. "Dad, I'm not a child anymore. I'm seventeen, and I don't need your lectures!"

"Your actions prove otherwise. A mature adult does not run away," he said.

I looked down, ashamed.

"Ella, come here. I need you close right now."

I went to him and he immediately embraced me. He bowed his head and began to sob into my hair. I felt so bad.

"I am so sorry Daddy," I said sincerely, crying with him.

We held each other close for a few minutes. Each tear I saw fall from his eye hurt me more. It killed me to know what I had done to him, had done to all of them. I would have to apologize to each of them individually, and hopefully rebuild the family that I had broken apart.

"Don't you ever do that again!" Dad scolded, landing a sharp **SMACK! **to my backside. I jumped in pain and rubbed out the sting.

"Where's everyone else?" I asked.

"They should be here soon. There was no boat available so they had to call for someone. I couldn't stand it any longer so I swam here. They would have come too, but you know how Rosalie is about her clothes and we also have luggage with us," Dad said with a small smile.

"Dad," I began. "I am so sorry for what I did, and I know that it was wrong. I wanted to protect Zach, but I realize that is impossible no matter what. I will late Zach go to your friends without a complaint, because that's the only way he will have a chance to live. Could you please forgive me?"

Dad sighed, and looked sadly into my eyes. "Of course you are forgiven. As for Zach, I'm afraid he doesn't have that chance anymore."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I will explain to you later, when everyone's here. Speaking of which, I think I hear them now," Dad said, cocking his head slightly.

The three of us headed back toward the house. My mother's arms were the first around me, followed my Alice's. Then Rose's, then Jasper, Emmett, and finally Edward. Dad also joined the group hug when he came out of the house after putting the luggage inside. From the small spaces that I could see in-between my family's closely-packed bodies, Zach was shifting awkwardly and uncomfortably a few feet away. I wriggled out of my family's grasp and we all stood at respectable distances. Each of their eyes bore into me, making me feel extremely uncomfortable and guilty.

"I apologize sincerely to all of you for running away. It was childish, and it was the wrong thing to do. I did it to protect Zach, but I am not strong enough to do so without all of you. I am so ashamed at the pain I caused you all, for thinking that I died. Your love for me has always been something that I didn't understand, but now I know how strong it is. I love you all and I would love it if you would forgive me and we can rebuild the family relationship that I strained," I said.

They all nodded in agreement.

"Ella, there is something you need to know," Alice announced.

I figured that they were going to tell me about what was going to happen with Zach. Had the Denali's not accepted? I turned to Zach and gave him a loving smile.

"Zach, I need to talk with my family for a little bit. Could you please go to the other side of the island until I come and get you?" I requested.

He frowned. "Aren't I part of your family Mama?"

His words tugged at my heart. "Yes of course you are. But, this is something that you don't necessarily need to know. I will tell you what you need to know, okay?"

He nodded begrudgingly and scampered away. I turned back to my family. "What?"

"Ella, the Volturi know, and they're coming tonight. Alice has seen a vision of it coming to a fight, and it is unlikely that any of us will survive. If they stop and listen, we can probably convince them that we're innocent, but Zach would have to go. If we have any shot at the second option, you must go along with it, no matter how much it hurts. I see that you've gotten quite attached to that boy, as he did to you, but I told you from the start that it wouldn't work. Can you promise me not to be difficult? To save your life and our family's?" Dad said.

I was stunned. I didn't like the sound of this, not one bit. Give up Zach? He thought of me as his _mother_! How could they expect me to just let him go like that? I wouldn't, I absolutely wouldn't!

"No," I said. "I will fight for him even if it kills me."

"It will be useless, Ella. And then all of us will be hurting," Jasper said.

"I don't know! You can't expect an answer for a question like that. I just need to go tell Zach what's going on and just . . . think. This really hurts me," I said.

"Go," Mom encouraged.

I raced to the other side of the island. I found Zach perched on a rock that jutted out into the ocean. I told him what was going on, and venom tears started to streak down his face.

"There's no hope for me Mama. Don't kill yourself and your family, it's not worth it," he cried.

I didn't have an answer for him. I wasn't going to promise anything. I cuddled him in my arms and began to sing in hopes of comforting both him and myself.

_**I remember tears streaming down your face  
When I said, "I'll never let you go"  
When all those shadows almost killed your light  
I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"  
But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight**_

_**Just close your eyes**_  
_**The sun is going down**_  
_**You'll be alright**_  
_**No one can hurt you now**_  
_**Come morning light**_  
_**You and I'll be safe and sound**_

_**Don't you dare look out your window, darling,**_  
_**Everything's on fire**_  
_**The war outside our door keeps raging on**_  
_**Hold on to this lullaby**_  
_**Even when music's gone**_  
_**Gone**_

_**Just close your eyes**_  
_**The sun is going down**_  
_**You'll be alright**_  
_**No one can hurt you now**_  
_**Come morning light**_  
_**You and I'll be safe and sound**_

_**Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh**_  
_**Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh**_  
_**La La (La La)**_  
_**La La (La La)**_  
_**Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh**_  
_**Oooh, Oooh, Oooh, Oooh**_  
_**La La (La La)**_

_**Just close your eyes**_  
_**You'll be alright**_  
_**Come morning light,**_  
_**You and I'll be safe and sound...**_

_**Oooh, oooh, oooh, oooh oh oh.**_

I held him close for a few more minutes before checking my phone and deciding it was time to head back. The Volturi were due to arrive in about a half hour, and we didn't exactly want to be split up then. We met up with my family on the pristine beach. We stood there, in our usual loose formation, and stared off into the distance. There was no movement except for the waves that crashed gently against the shore and the slight breeze that whistled through the air.

A part of me wondered if the Volturi would be a constant worry in my life. This would be my third encounter with them, which is three times too many, if you ask me. Would I ever be able to have somewhat of a normal human life? I wanted to blame Aro and his control-freak nature, but I knew that this one was completely my fault, as was the last. The first meeting had been just the icing of the moldy cake that was my life.

"Two minutes," Alice warned.

I gripped Zach's hand tighter. My heart broke when I realized that these few minutes would be the last of the time I got to be with Zach, possibly even to live. I still wasn't sure what I was going to do. It would be hard to just surrender Zach, but I knew it wouldn't do anybody any good if I made things difficult. It seemed that each of the mistakes I had made in my life led down to the same root: should've listened to Dad.

"Nineteen seconds," Alice said.

I braced myself and stared off into the distance. I looked everywhere but the ocean, where death was soon to emerge.

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**A/N: I couldn't help myself, I had to make the ending just a little bit dramatic. I hope you liked Carlisle's interaction with a few of his kids. The story is solely based on him and Ella, but I try to add a little bit of everyone else in there too. I don't know if it seems this way to you, but I think that things are passing really quickly. I'm doing this because, like I said before, I want to begin the transition into the sequel, but there are a few last-minute details that I wanted to add, and this whole thing was one of them. The reason why I put a lot of challenges and problems throughout the story is because the Cullen's are good at dealing with things, and I think that really shapes who they are. I want to put a lot of family dynamics in here. I also want to let you know that I NEVER put things in a story if they don't have a purpose. If something doesn't make sense, I can promise that it will be explained as the story goes on. But also feel free to PM me with questions if you have them. Also the song used in this chapter is "Safe & Sound" by Taylor Swift. It's also part of the Hunger Games' soundtrack, if you happen to be a fan. That's about it for this chapter. Remember to review, favorite, follow, or add to a community! Also vote on my poll and check out my other stories. Thanks for reading this chapter and extremely long Author's Note! And one more time, review! :)**


	44. Chapter 44

**A/N: I am so very sorry for the ridiculously long wait. My computer was down for four days, so I couldn't write much less upload. I also had to update my other story first, so that made the wait longer for you. The good thing is that it gave me a lot of time to think and I have pretty much the rest of the story planned out. Anyway, enjoy the chapter! Oh! And thank you to those who reviewed. I now have eighty reviews! Hopefully I can reach one hundred or more before I start the sequel. **

**Disclaimer: Read all the other forty-three disclaimers, you'll get it.**

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**CHAPTER 44:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

They emerged one by one from the water. Their cloaks shone in the moonlight, dripping with the salty water. With the three leaders at the head, their formation was of a triangle. The once white-sand beach was now black with the cloaks of death.

Their eyes went immediately to Zach, who stood timidly by my side. I tensed, moving in front of him to hopefully shield him for at least a couple seconds. No one was going to kill my baby without going through me first. Which probably wouldn't take that long.

No one had spoken, or moved. We really didn't have any defense on our side. Zach was immortal, and immortal children were illegal. What Aro said was law, and those who didn't follow him would be punished. I had dragged my family into this, so I had to get them out of it. I stepped forward.

"Aro, it's not what it looks like," I stated weakly. I wasn't very good at winging things. I guess I should've practiced my death speech.

"Spare me the lies and persuasion. The child is immortal, plain and simple," Caius barked.

"We didn't change him," I said strongly.

"It doesn't matter what you did. Your coven still protected him and purposely kept him hidden. You should know by now that tactic never works with the Volturi," Caius said smugly.

"_**I **_was the one to take him in. _**I **_was the one who tried to hide him. _**I **_am the one responsible. My family had nothing to do with it!"

"This is your one and only chance to explain. Go," Aro ordered.

This was the one time I wish Aro could read my thoughts. "I came across him in the forest. Long story short, he was changed and then abandoned. Even though he is an immortal child, he still needs to be taken care of. I brought him home and my family tried to convince me to get rid of him, but I didn't listen. I then ran away with him. He is different than all the other immortal children you've dealt with, though. He can control his hunger better than any other vampire. It's his gift. He only feeds when he wants to. Despite what you believe, Zach isn't a danger. Please, just let me take care of him. If he causes any trouble, I will hand him over without any argument."

It was silent for a moment.

"The problem is that he's already caused trouble. He attacked a whole village, and you expect me to let that go?" Aro said.

"I . . ."

"Not to mention that this coven protected and hid him," Caius said. "There's no reason why we shouldn't punish them all," he said, slipping into his classic evil smirk.

"Please," I begged.

Aro thought for a moment. "Give us a few minutes to confer and decide." With that, he turned to Caius and Marcus.

I picked Zach up and clutched him tightly. I began to cry silently into his hair. Mom and Dad came over and embraced us. This was all my fault. If only I had stuck to the original plan.

"Ella, come forward. And bring the child with you," Aro said a few minutes later.

My heart began to pound. I was sure they could hear it.

Aro smiled. "Do not fret, my dear one. You will be just fine."

"Can I bring someone with me?" I asked, my voice weak.

"Of course," Marcus answered immediately, receiving irritated looks from both Aro and Caius.

"Daddy?" I pleaded.

He nodded and stepped forward. With both my arms wrapped securely around Zach, we started as slowly as possible to meet them midway. The three leaders stood in the middle, a few yards away from the Guard. To my extreme disappointment, the beach wasn't nearly wide enough. Even miles wide would be too small.

We stopped a few feet away from them. Caius pulled out an ancient lighter, and my heart stopped beating.

I launched Zach into the air.

"**RUN!" **I screamed at him.

Caius turned furious, and moved quickly towards me. Marcus intercepted him before he could lay a finger on me.

"**GET HIM!" **Caius ordered the Guard.

All Hell broke loose. The Guard chased after Zach to capture him. I prayed that they would be unsuccessful. Aro and Caius went with them. I watched as trees snapped and fell to the ground, windows shattered, and things went flying into the air. At least there wasn't any fire. Yet.

"Marcus, I'm sorry. I panicked!" I cried at him.

"What's done is done," he said mysteriously.

I turned and cried into Dad's chest. He wrapped his arms around me comfortingly. "It will be all right, Sweetheart."

The Guard and the two leaders came back a few minutes later. Caius had Zach by his hair holding him a foot off the ground, his feet dangling limply. I winced at the sight. He looked up at me with scared, worried eyes.

"Not a wise choice," Aro said.

"I'm sorry, that one was all me. It's not his fault," I cried.

"Of course not, Dear Ella," he said in a soothing voice that wasn't soothing at all.

"Here, take him," Caius said, holding out Zach.

Shocked, I quickly grabbed Zach and cuddled his little body to me. He buried his little blonde head into my hair, resting it against my shoulder. Caius came over, and chopped his hand down on Zach's arm, causing it to crack.

Zach's cry of pain tugged at my heart. I covered the crack with my hand and stepped back.

"Leave him alone!" I said forcefully.

Before the first wound had time to heal, Caius once again brought down his hand, this time to his leg which cracked like his arm.

"What the Hell are you doing?!" I shrieked, backing away faster. I was stopped by one of the Guard members, who grabbed me by my upper-arms. Caius advanced, towering over me.

"Mama!" Zach cried fearfully.

"Aro, there has to be another way," Marcus said quickly.

Caius suddenly ripped Zach's head from his body with such force that I would have went flying if Santiago wasn't behind me holding my arms in place.

"No!" I sobbed. My heart hurt.

Marcus took the body gently from my arms and dropped it into the fire that was burning a few feet away.

"Hold it," Caius ordered, forcing Zach's head into my hands.

He pulled out his lighter and set fire to Zach's head right there in my hands. The heat was painful, but I couldn't move to drop it. I just sobbed, my heart aching. Soon all that was left was a pile of ash in my burned palm.

"That will be all of you if this ever happens again," Aro said before disappearing into the water along with the rest of his coven.

"Ow," I said, putting my burned hand to my heart and dropping down on the sand to sob. My family instantly surrounded me, offering whatever comfort they could. Nothing helped. There was nothing to be said for the death of a child.

"Children, assess the damage of the environment. Esme, scavenge whatever is left of the house and pack up Ella's things. I need to talk to her, and then we are going home," Dad instructed his voice strong and full of authority.

Everyone set off while Dad sat down next to me on the sand. He rubbed his hand over my sobbing form, getting my attention and calming me down at the same time. If there was anyone who could get me through this, it was Daddy.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Aro was on the top of my hate list for traumatizing my daughter. Forcing her to watch a child be killed right in her arms was outrageous, unacceptable, and unbelievable. I had no doubt that in a decade or so that Aro would try to befriend me again, and that answer would be **no**.

"Sugar Plum Princess, can you sit up for me?" I requested. She needed nothing more than to look into my eyes right now. It was the only way to get something through to her.

She sat up weakly and leaned into me for support. I sat her in my lap and gently pressed my hand to her palm to sooth the burning pain. I hadn't brought any supplies with me, so it would have to wait until we got home.

"Ella," I started, looking into her eyes. "You just witnessed my worst fear. My greatest fear of all time is losing my child, and that is exactly what happened to you. Watching you suffer the pain hurts me too. I know that there is nothing that I can say to reconcile you, but I can only hope that time will heal you. It almost always does. Sweetie, I know that this hurts you. You just watched a person that you loved and cared for so deeply die in your very arms. I can't imagine what that must feel like. I can't empathize what you are going through, but I can sympathize. I want to tell you something that might help with the pain. Even though Zachariah was like a son to you, that isn't your only chance. Ten, fifteen years from now, you might have a child of your very own to love and protect and have no fear of the Volturi getting in the way of that. I warned you about the possible tragedies of the situation, but you were stubborn and did what your heart told you to do. I think you knew in your mind that no matter what you did, Zachariah wouldn't have lived anyway. You decided to keep him with you because you knew that it would make you both happier. My point is that you are a very loving, caring, maternal person. An Esme in the making. You will have your chance to be happy with a child. You are only seventeen now, but when you're in your late twenties or early thirties, you can try to have the relationship that you wanted with Zachariah with a child of your own. I know that you thought of him that way, but he wasn't. I know that it must hurt the same, but like I said, I can't connect. A good person to talk to would be your mother. As you know, she too lost a baby boy. Maybe you could help heal each other. I don't want this to be a burden to you for the rest of your life. You helped the boy have a happy life while it lasted. Focus on that, and not the outcome that you can't control."

She mulled over my words carefully for a few minutes. My heart hurt to see her this way, to see her in such pain. Anything physical I could fix, but when it came to emotions, I was limited.

"You're right. I need to talk to Mom about this. She will know how to help me. Thank you so much Daddy. My heart just hurts so badly," she cried.

"I know, Sweetheart. It must be very similar to the pain that I had felt when I thought you were dead. Now you sit here. I'm going to go see if I can find some sort of plant to remedy medicine for your hand until we get home," I told her and got up.

I carefully crushed the plants that I had found into a thick gel. I dipped my thumb in it, and gently smoothed it across Ella's hand. It angered me that she was hurt physically because of them, but that really wasn't the biggest problem right now. But nonetheless, it was still a problem.

Ella slept for most of the flight home. She sat with Edward this time. The two of them had never gotten into a fight with each other and she found his presence soothing. He was also good at taking care of humans. Ever since she had become a vampire, Bella got more and more irritated with Edward's overprotectiveness and didn't allow Edward to do as many things for her. I suppose that over the years of their relationship Edward had become used to taking care of her and enjoyed it. Though once in a while we do have to remind Bella that she is not completely invincible and capable and sometimes do need help with things. I sighed longingly as I thought of the grown vampire woman who was forced to stay on the reservation with Jacob due to Edward's request.

"Do you think she will be okay?" Esme asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I'm sure in time. She will be upset and down for a while, but she will realize that there was nothing she could do, and that her life will still go on. We'll give her a few weeks to wrap her head around it and get herself back together, but if she doesn't, I am taking her to a psychologist. This is one thing that she can be almost completely truthful about. Saying that she had become attached to a child and then watched it be beaten and killed would be equivalent to what happened. We could fabricate the story just slightly to make the amount of trauma the same, and then the doctor will know how to help her. Out of all my medical degrees, psychology of course can't be one of them," I grumbled.

"Oh stop it. Don't blame yourself for this, and we both know that you have plenty of experience in that subject. Let's just hope that she will work this out on her own," Esme said.

"It's very unlikely. People don't usually just get over traumatic experiences like that. She will probably try to find some way to blame herself for the situation as well. I'm counting on her needing help. I'm going to check into therapists as soon as we get home," I said.

"You do know that she would never willingly see a therapist, right?" Esme said.

I sighed. "That's exactly what I'm afraid of. She had a bad experience with a therapist before, so I doubt she'll try again. She's going to be eighteen in less than ten months, and I won't be able to do anything then. I don't want her to go into adulthood with this on her little shoulders. The last thing the world needs is another troubled adult."

"Carlisle, let's just take things one step at a time. Today is Friday and she starts school on Monday. Let's give her until Christmas Break to work through this, and if by then she isn't able to deal with it, we'll see about therapy. I'll talk to her tomorrow night, and hopefully we can get the bulk of it off. I think the biggest thing is going to be guilt. She's going to let it eat at her and come up with every excuse in the book as to why it's her fault. I think that if I tell her about my experience and how I thought things out so that I was okay, she will think that way and get better. All we can do is try."

"Yes, I think that's reasonable," I agreed.

"Good. And I have a feeling that you will be a great help as well. I didn't work through my problems until you came into my life. If you deal with her the same way you dealt with me, she will get better faster. I'm not going to tell her about my suicide attempt, because that's the last thing that we want on her mind. She knows everyone's story except for mine, and that's because I never want her to consider suicide. But it's time she knows everything but that. Perhaps when she is older and at a good place in her life, I will tell her the whole thing," she said.

"That's a wonderful idea, Esme. If only all women were as loving and caring as you," I said.

**ESME'S POINT OF VIEW:**

We arrived home at about noon on Saturday. Ella was . . . distant. Her eyes were empty, her moves were robotic, and she didn't speak unless spoken to. And even then, her responses were vague. She refused to eat as well. Even when Carlisle threatened to put an IV in, she refused. Everyone was worried. Had she developed some mental disability from this?

It was six-thirty and I fixed a cup of tea and a small sandwich to take up to her room. Carlisle and I had decided that this would be a good time for me to talk to her. The kids were all out hunting after the long flight, and Carlisle was busy catching up on paperwork. The house was calm and quiet, which would be good for this time of conversation.

Knowing that I wouldn't get an answer anyway, I knocked on Ella's door and asked for permission to come in. I figured I'd just let her know I was here instead of just barging in unannounced. I knew how Ella liked her privacy when she was upset, and someone would have to have a very insane mind to bother her during that time.

"Sweetheart, can we talk for a while?" I asked, sitting down next to her on the bed where she sat, staring off into space.

She nodded.

"I want to tell you about my experience losing a child. I think that it might help you work through this. It's not a good time to tell you my complete story, but I will tell you bits and pieces of it that I think will benefit you," I told her.

"Okay," she said tonelessly.

"Skipping over gruesome details, I became pregnant and twenty-six years old. I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Emanuel. I loved him at first sight; he was an adorable baby. Only three days later, he died of an infection. I was heartbroken. I went into a depressed state – much like the one you are in now – and didn't do anything with my life. I was hurt a few weeks later, and that was when your father saved me. Even after I met him and fell in love, I was still upset about my son. I felt guilty and blamed myself for what had happened, even though I had no control over it. You know who helped me get over it? Daddy. He made me tell him about it, and then he gave me some ways to think about the situation. He helped me think of the good in it, and helped me realize that it wasn't my fault. Ella, our experiences are very similar, though I do believe that mine is less traumatic. Don't shut yourself in your room and waste away. If there is one thing that I can tell you about situations like this is it does get better," I told her.

"Do you still get upset about your son?" she asked.

"Sometimes I think about it and get sad, yes, but then I realize that I have so many more good things in my life to be happy about. I don't want to waste energy being upset over things that are in the past and can't change or control. That's another thing. Good things will happen to you and you will be so busy and focused on those happy things that you won't get upset over the past. I apologize for bringing it up, but let's take your past, for example. You thought that you would never get over the first eight years of your life, but look at you now! Just a few days ago you were happy and didn't have a care in the world about that. This too, shall pass."

She looked up at me with shy eyes. "You said that when you talked to Dad about what happened, he helped you get over it. Do you think that he can help me get over this like he helped you?"

I nodded. "I'm willing to bet yes. He'll tell you some ways to think about it, and it will help. It's hard to explain, but you'll see. Your father is a true angel, never forget that."

She sniffled. "I know. Sometimes I don't feel like I do a good job of letting him know how much I really appreciate and love him."

I smiled. "Maybe you two will have to spend a day together or something. Would you like me to go get him for you?"

"Yes please," she said.

"All right. Drink your tea and take a few bites of sandwich while I'm gone," I told her.

I didn't stick around to hear her reply.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I looked up from my paperwork when I heard the door to my study open. I smiled when I saw it was my lovely wife who was standing in the doorway.

"Hello Darling," I greeted her.

"Ella wants you to talk to her now. Do it similar to the way you talked to me, and stay in her comfort zone. I told her a little bit of what to expect," she said.

"All right. Are you going to be there too?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I'll come if I'm needed, but I think it's best if you two are alone. I need to work out some ideas as to how we should repair the island."

I smiled. "Let me know when you have a plan."

"I will. Now stop stalling and go tend to your daughter," she ordered, shoving me out of my chair.

As I climbed the stairs to Ella's room, I mentally prepared myself for the conversation. Having it with Esme was hard, but it helped her immensely. I was actually thrilled that Ella was talking and willing to accept help. Hopefully I would be able to get some food into her soon.

"Honey it's me, can I come in?" I asked carefully.

"Yes," she said.

I smiled, she was sounding better already. Esme was gifted, I was sure. I opened the door and closed it quietly behind me. Ella was still sitting in bed like last time, but she was aware and had color in her cheeks. I was ecstatic when I saw that a fourth of her tea was gone and she had taken a bite of sandwich.

"Are you feeling better?" I asked her.

"Physically, yes. Emotionally, not really," she said.

I smiled sadly. "Well maybe I can help with that."

I sat down next to her on the bed and wrapped my arm around her. She snuggled up close, and my heart swelled. She was accepting comfort and help. That was a good thing. I prayed that the conversation I was about to have with her would help.

"Are you sure you want to talk about this now? You seem so light and bubbly, and I'm afraid that this conversation will change that," I said.

"Dad, Mom said that you really helped her, and to be honest, I don't feel very good emotionally right now. You both seem to think that it will help me, so I want to do it and get the heavy over with," she said.

"All right then. Honey, tell me how you feel about the situation," I said.

"I'm sad, angry, shocked, and guilty. I don't understand why they made me watch Zach die. The memory is just unbearable. I hate Aro for what he did! I hate all of them! It's all my fault that Zach died. I was selfish for running with him like that. And having to watch him get beaten and ripped to shreds like that and not being able to do anything about it was just . . . just heartbreaking. They burned him into ash! They burned an innocent child to ash!" she sobbed.

I didn't know what to say. The scene had been very gory and traumatic indeed. I had a hard time watching it myself, and I wasn't very attached to Zachariah. I honestly didn't really feel any pain about that expect for the pain that my daughter was in pain. Because of that, Zachariah had enough effect on me.

"It's like my heart's been ripped out of my chest!" she sobbed uncontrollably.

"Ella, there was nothing you could do to change the situation. Immortal children aren't allowed, and that's the law. You didn't create him, doom him to this life. You didn't cause his death either. He had a death sentence from the moment he was bitten. This isn't your fault Ella, and I'm being honest. Seriously, tell me what you could have done to change the situation," I said.

"Well . . ." she thought for a moment. "Nothing, I guess,"

"Exactly. So don't feel guilty about the outcome. Think about what good came with it. You gave him a happy life for as long as you could, you taught him what it is to be loved, and you know what it's like to love a child. You can't let a bad thing ruin your life, no matter how big. Like your mother said, good things will happen, time will heal, and the situation will eventually not affect you this way anymore," I said.

She was silent for a moment. "Thanks Daddy, you've given me a lot to think about, but right now reality's just too much to deal with. I'm gonna go to bed, kay?"

"All right. I love you, never forget that," I told her.

"I love you too," she said back.

* * *

**A/N: I realize that's probably not the outcome you wanted, but there will be happier things. We're on that roller coaster again. At a really low point and going up a really uncomfortable, steep climb, but then there's the wonderful, amazing freefall once you reach the top. As always, don't be afraid to give me your honest opinions and of course ideas and comments are always welcome. Please review, favorite, follow, add to a community, check out my other stories, and vote on my poll. I am going to be busy tomorrow, so I won't be able to work on my stories but I will get back to it the first chance I get. I really do enjoy writing for you guys. You are a wonderful audience. Thanks for reading, and I will update as soon as possible as long as technology doesn't fail me. **


	45. Chapter 45

**A/N: Longer chapter for ya. I don't really have anything to say, but I do want to thank the three people who reviewed the last chapter. They inspire me and give me encouragement, so please do! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own this story, but not the Twilight Saga. If I did own it, I seriously doubt I'd be writing fanfiction about it.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 45:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

It was four-thirty Monday morning, and I was quietly shoving wads of cash into my purse that I had stolen from Edward's room while he was gone. I didn't know how much it would cost, and I had no idea of the amount of trouble I would be in except for a lot if someone found out. I tiptoed back to my room and got myself ready for the day. At six o'clock, I went downstairs to the kitchen.

"Hey, is it okay if I walk to school? I just need some time to think," I said to my parents. I held my breath as I waited for their answer.

"Are you sure? It's a pretty long way," Mom said.

"You'll also have to walk home again after school," Dad added.

"Yeah, I know. So can I?" I asked.

"Be careful, and do not be late for school," Dad said sternly.

"Kay, bye," I said and walked out the door.

I set off quickly down the driveway. I was wearing sneakers so that I'd be able to move quickly and walk long distances comfortably. Once I reached the highway, I set off into a steady jog.

Downtown Seattle was blooming with life, even at this time of day. But it was Monday, so I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. The crowds got thinner and thinner though, as I got closer to the darker, outer-city of Seattle. Eventually, there were no people at all. Finally I reached my destination; the inconspicuous shop at the end of the block.

I opened the black door and was greeted by a dimly lit entryway. There were stairs that led downwards, so I followed that until I came to another door at the end of the staircase. I went inside and found that it was exactly what I had been looking for.

"How can I help you?" a gangster-like man asked.

"I'm here for drugs," I said quietly.

"Yes of course. What are you looking for? I've got it all."

I looked around at the various bottles and packages that were on display. I didn't know much about drugs, but I was smart enough to know that the bottles didn't contain what the labels claimed. Like seriously, I doubt this man is selling Children's Tylenol.

"I'm . . . I'm not really sure. I'm kind of new at this whole thing," I said honestly.

He smirked. "So another goes bad. No problem. I have a few beginner items on hand. Now tell me, what do you want it to do, specifically?"

I thought for a moment. "Just . . . like . . . take pain away. Not physical, but mental, you know? And it has to be easy to hide as well."

"I've got just the thing," he said, walking over to one of the various shelves. He came back with a small bottle in hand. "Here, it's called Ecstasy."

I took it. "How much?" I pulled out my wallet.

"Three hundred."

"For that little thing?"

"Fine. I'll give you two bottles for five hundred," he said, irritated.

"Four hundred," I bargained.

"No way."

"Four fifty."

"Four seventy-five."

"Deal," I agreed.

I gave him the money and was about to leave when he stopped me.

"Wait," he said. "Take this. It's free."

I took the item from him and saw that it was a white box. I opened it cautiously and found cigarettes inside. I looked up at him questioningly.

"Meth," he said simply.

Interesting. I'd taken it as a pill before, but I had never smoked it. I thanked him and left, quickly climbing the stairs and stepping out into the rainy weather. I checked my phone and found that it was a quarter after seven. I was going to be late. Shit. I popped two pills in my mouth and rushed off toward the school.

I made it there just two minutes before the second bell. Luckily, I spotted Courtney in the hallway. So I wasn't the only one.

"Hey Court!" I greeted her.

"I hate my car. My parents have the money, but are too cheap to spend money on a car that actually works," she ranted.

"I'm glad that my parents always make sure I have what I need," I said.

"Lucky. We should probably get to class. There's nothing more embarrassing that being late on the first day of school."

I nodded in agreement. We scurried off to our first classroom with only seconds to spare.

Later at lunch, I was scanning the room for a place to sit. I still didn't have any friends other than the five . . . no, four . . . from last year. I was going to sit by them, but then I realized that Mitchell would probably be sitting with them, and he was the last person I wanted to see right now. Or ever.

"Oh look, another lost bunny. Perhaps she needs a carrot," one of the Bad Boys teased. The rest of them cackled.

"Leave me alone," I muttered quietly. I was so intimidated by them.

"Oh, the poor wittle tings so scared," another one of the Goons cooed.

That was when I ran. I didn't care if it was childish, I didn't care if it proved exactly what they'd just said. I just had to get out of there. I bolted out the cafeteria doors with them right behind me. I made a dumb mistake and ended up at the top of the huge marble staircase. They surrounded me on three sides so that my only escape was the stairs themselves.

"Don't run. Your just fresh meat. And we're hungry," one of the boys said, licking his lips in a way that made me want to puke.

"What a cute little thang you are," someone said, coming toward me.

"Stay away from me," I said firmly, backing up so that my heel hung off the edge of the stair.

"Are these real or fake?" one guy asked, grabbing my boob and squeezing it painfully. I skittered down a few steps, but they followed me.

"Feel her skin, it's so soft," someone else said, digging their nails into my arm so hard it bled.

"She's got a cute little ass too," the guy who groped me said.

"I know," a blonde said. "I just wanna bend her over a desk and –"

**WHAM! **The blonde went flying down the stairs and smacked into the wall at the bottom. More boys went flying or rolling down the stairs, breaking their noses, wrists, or getting bloody cuts.

"I've told you before to leave her alone!" Alec shouted from the top. He slid down the rail and gently grabbed my wrists. "Are you all right?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I sniffled. "Just a little blood."

Alec's eyes zeroed in on the bloody nail marks on my arm. His face turned murderous.

"**DON'T EVER TOUCH HER AGAIN!" **

Silence.

He pulled me away, and brought me into a quiet hallway. "What did they do?" he asked.

My eyes began to tear. Great. The last thing I wanted to do was start crying like a baby in front of Alec. Then I remembered prom, and let my guard down a little bit.

"They insulted me, one guy grabbed my boob, and a blonde one said – well, you heard it," I sobbed.

"Shh, I'm so sorry they did that. They shouldn't do it again though," he said.

"That's what you said last time!" I cried.

He looked pained.

"Um . . . here. How about you just always stay by your friends. That way they will be there to defend you, and the guys will be less likely to mess with you," he suggested.

"That would work, except for the fact that I don't really have any friends. I mean I have a few, but it's . . . complicated," I told him.

"Well, how about this. I'll give you my phone number, so you can call me if you need help. I always have my phone on me," he said.

I smiled inside. "Sure."

"Do you have a pen?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said, digging one out of my bag and handing it to him. I continued to look for a piece of paper, but he grabbed my hand and wrote his number on my palm.

"There," he said. "Now c'mon, let's go get this cleaned up." He gestured to my wound.

"It's fine. I'll just wash it off," I said and stood up.

"No, I should probably take you to the nurse to get it sanitized. You don't know where Gabriel's fingers have been," he said.

I shuddered and laughed at the thought.

"I don't want to go to the nurse though. When I first started school here, my dad made them promise to call him, no matter what it is. I don't want to have to explain and then deal with him freaking out," I said.

Alec smiled slightly. "Let me just go get some stuff then. I'll be right back, stay here," he ordered.

Once he walked away, I couldn't help but laugh. Alec was so kind and caring, much different than the Alec from a few years ago. I couldn't believe how easily I got his number. I part of me thought he did that on purpose, just for the sake of giving me his number. But then again, he did really seem to care about me. I could live with either scenario, I guess.

Alec came back with a small package of sterile wipes and a large Band-Aid.

"Thanks," I said and tried to take the supplies from him.

He snorted. "Oh please, let me do it."

I sighed and stuck out my arm. It was like he could read my mind. He somehow knew that I would just go into the bathroom and dump it all in the trash. I didn't like alcohol wipes, I just didn't.

I hissed when the pad touched the cut and stung like all Hell. Alec had to actually hold my arm down to keep me from moving. When he was through, I took one of the unused wipes and chucked it at his face. Childish of me, I know. We horsed around in the hallway for a while, throwing things back and forth, until the principal came and told us that we'd better get to class immediately unless we wanted detention. I hated him for that. I never wanted this sweet moment to end.

The rest of the school day was uneventful. Walking home in the pouring rain was miserable, but I knew that I deserved it. I was making a very bad decision, after all. I had some experience with drugs, but it wasn't as serious as this was turning out to be. I didn't want to do drugs, but the pain of losing Zach was just getting to be too much for my mind to bear. I just wanted that one thing off my shoulders.

"You poor thing! You could have called me to pick you up," Mom said as I walked in the door.

"Thanks for the warm welcome home," I muttered sarcastically.

"What's wrong Ella?" she asked concernedly.

"Just leave me the fuck alone!" I shouted at her angrily.

My mother looked at me in shock. I instantly regretted the words I had said. I began to apologize.

"Mom I'm so sor –"

"Ella, lose the attitude this instant!" Dad reprimanded strongly.

This made my blood boil. Didn't he see that I was just about to apologize to Mom?!

"**I WAS JUST ABOUT TO APOLOGIZE! MIND YOUR OWN DAMN BUSINESS!" **I shouted at him. I pushed past him and stomped off to my room before he could catch me.

"Just let it go, Carlisle," I heard Mom say.

I slammed my door and dropped down on the bed. I dug the cigarettes out of my purse and stepped out onto the balcony. I smoked one to just to calm myself, then another one to be totally relaxed. After that, I jumped in the shower and washed away all the evidence. When I got out, I was still feeling pissed and sad, so I took out the Ecstasy bottle. I looked at the label, and found that the dosage was six tablets a day.

"Fuck yes," I whispered, and popped four pills in my mouth.

I awoke around three in the morning with a severe stomachache. I forced myself into a sitting position and something suddenly donned on me. The dosage on the "medicine" bottle was for _Baby Aspirin_. Shit. I probably took way too much Ecstasy. Crap. What to do, what to do, what to do. Part of me said to just tell Dad the truth, so that he could take care of me properly so I wouldn't die. To just suffer the consequences. Another part told me to just not worry about it. The third part told be to make up a believable lie. I decided on that one because I assumed treatment would be much the same.

_Here goes everything_, I thought as I opened the door to Dad's study.

"Ella, what are you doing up this hour?" he asked.

I pressed my hand to my head. "Well, I had a really bad headache so I took some Aspirin. I'm really tired, and I misread the dosage. Now my stomach hurts really bad and I'm scared that I'll get hurt because I took too much. What do I do?" I asked, putting a small whine into my voice.

He stood up. "How many did you take?"

"Six," I answered.

His eyes bulged. "You're only supposed to take two!"

"I know, I know. Like I said, I'm really tired."

"Go get the bottle," he said.

Crap. "Um, what?"

"Go get the bottle. I need to know how much medicine exactly is in your body so I know how to treat it," he explained.

"Oh," I said, and walked out of the room.

Crap. I couldn't bring him the drug bottle, and I ran out of Aspirin a week ago. I had put the bottle in the garbage. Wait, maybe it was still in there. I dug through my trash until I found the empty Aspirin bottle. I went back downstairs to Dad's study and handed him the bottle.

"There were six left," I explained when he shook the empty bottle.

"All right, let's see here," he said.

He mumbled a few numbers to himself and his forehead creased with worry. He looked at me with apologetic eyes.

"Sweetheart, I'm afraid you're not going to like this. You've taken way too much medicine for your body to handle. We have to go to the hospital and get your stomach pumped," he said.

No! They couldn't see what it actually was. I was in deep shit. Think Ella! Think!

"Dad, is there anything else you can do? I really don't want to go to the hospital," I whined, working up a few tears.

"Honey . . . well, there is one thing," he said.

"What?" I asked anxiously.

"Give me a moment," he said, and began digging through his cabinets. "Ah, here we go."

He held out a single pill. "Take this."

"More medicine?" I questioned.

"It'll come right back up," he promised.

He started to follow me to the bathroom, but then I realized he couldn't see it either.

"Dad, I really kind of want to be alone," I told him.

"Oh." He looked surprised. "All right. Come see me when you're done. I want to examine you, make sure you're okay."

I nodded and headed into my parents' bathroom. I cautiously swallowed the pill, and not even a minute later, my body was medicine-free. I flushed the toilet a few times to make sure any residue was gone. I rinsed my mouth out several times as well. As soon as I finished, I went straight back to Dad. Ever since I was little, I always needed his comfort after getting sick. I guess I needed it now when I was older too.

"All done Sweetie?" he asked as I peeked my head around the corner.

I nodded. "I still don't feel too great, but my stomach hurts less," I told him honestly.

He smiled. "I'm glad. I'm going to examine – oh . . ."

I crushed my body up against his. "Thanks for not making me go to the hospital," I cried gratefully into his chest.

"Of course Honey. You know how much I hate it to have to take you to work with me," he said with a small smile.

"Can I still go to school tomorrow?" I asked him. I wanted to see Alec, and I didn't want a stupid choice of mine to ruin that. He probably wanted to see me too.

"We'll see how you feel in the morning, okay? Just go get some sleep and don't worry about an alarm. If you need the day off tomorrow, that's fine. Your mother and the kids are going hunting, but I can stay home from work with you," he offered.

"I'll be fine to go to school tomorrow. It's the second day, I don't want to miss it," I told him.

"All right. Like I said, we'll decide in the morning. Right now you need to get some sleep. Goodnight Sugar Plum Princess."

I felt crappy in the morning, but it was bearable. I can't believe how stupid I had been last night. I must have been delirious or something, because I just don't make mistakes like that. I have seen the effect of drugs, not only on myself but on other people as well, and have always been very cautious about dosage.

I got in my pretty little Mustang GT and headed for the school. Since we had broken down the spiked wall that stood between us, I parked next to Alec's gray Pontiac G6. Thanks to Rosalie and my car-loving brothers, I was able to identify almost every car on the market. I had to make sure that Alec left before I did, just so I could see the look on his face.

"Ella!" a girl that had never spoken to me before squealed.

"Um . . . hi," I said awkwardly.

"I heard you broke up with that jock Mitchell last year," she said.

"O-kay?" I was so confused.

"Well, I was wondering why you would do such a thing?! He's like, the hottest guy in the whole school! Every girl wants him," she said.

I disagreed with the last two statements.

"Well," I said hesitantly. "He kind of cheated on me at prom."

Her eyes widened. "No way!"

"Yes, that's what happened. Now if you'll excuse me . . ."

"With who?" she asked.

I was really getting irritated. Who was this girl anyway?

"Look, whatever your name is," I began sharply. "I don't mean to be rude, but it's none of your business. I don't know who she was. All I know is that he cheated on me and didn't feel any remorse, okay? He cheated on me, happens all the time. Now stop following me around like a dog!"

I stormed away to my locker. Who would bring that up? I mean, seriously! You don't just go up to someone and be all "Hey I heard you broke up with Dumbass at prom last year" and pry for answers. It upsets me to think about that. Doesn't it upset pretty much everyone?

"So what country do you want to do?" I asked the girl that I was forced to do a project with. She completely ignored me and kept talking with the others. Finally the bell rang, and I was left confused at her behavior.

Later at lunch, I was walking through the cafeteria and receiving murderous glares from pretty much everybody. Why was everyone so disgusted by me? Most of them I had never even spoken to. I bought an apple and again looked around the room for an open seat. This was how it was every day. Sometimes people would invite me over to their table, but that was very rare. Most days I ate lunch in a deserted hallway. I sighed, knowing that it would be one of those days.

"How dare you be rude to her!" a voice shouted at me.

"What?"

"Do you even know who she is?!" She shook her head angrily. "_Marcy Travis_, president of student council _and_ top editor for the school newspaper. She told her friends what you said and is going to do an article about it for tomorrow's issue. You'll be the most hated person in school."

My stomach dropped. I ran out into the hallway and started to cry. I went to the private place where I always ate lunch and broke down. I put my head on my knees and covered it with my arms. How could I have been so rude? That wasn't me. Not at all. I couldn't stand it anymore. I dug my pills out of my bag and popped one in my mouth.

"Hey," a voice greeted.

"Shit," I said, hiding the bottle and looking up to see Alec standing there.

"It's all right, you're not the only one," he said with a weird look in his eye. "Your secret's safe with me.

"It doesn't matter. Everyone's going to hate me tomorrow if they don't already," I cried.

"I heard about that. That's why I came to check on you," he said.

"Thanks, but you really don't have to stay. I'm a mess," I said apologetically.

"You're beautiful," he said. "And don't worry about Marcy. I know the truth."

I smirked. "And as long as Alec Lautner knows the truth, all is good."

"Exactly." He grinned.

It was silent for a moment.

"Hey, do you want to go out, or something?" he asked shyly.

I couldn't believe it! It was finally happening! "Sure," I said.

"How about I meet up with you later? We can go out for dinner. On me, of course," he said.

"That would be great, but are you sure you want to face my dad right from the start?" I teased.

"He'll be there?" he asked.

"No, but he'll insist on driving me," I said.

He smirked. "I'll take my chances. I'd rather just get it over with anyway."

I sighed dramatically. "And he's dead before the first date."

"I'm immortal," he said.

I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing. If only he knew the joke in that.

"Sure you are. So what time?" I asked.

"Around six. We should probably get to class now. We're late. Again," he said.

"But for a good reason," I argued.

He smiled. "Of course." He held out his hand. "Shall we?"

I took it and we walked to class. Alec didn't leave my side for the rest of the day. Everyone noticed and apologized for being so rude. Alec and I had a good laugh about that as we walked to our cars. He bid me farewell, promising to meet me at the diner at six.

I decided on simple attire. Faded ripped skinny jeans, a light brown short-sleeved sweater with a belt, and white high heels since I was a midget at only five foot four and he was a skyscraper at six five. Though with these heels, I figured that I would be at the perfect height for him to duck his head and kiss me romantically like in the movies. I know; I'm a hopeless romantic.

"Ella, I really hope that this relationship works out for you, but promise me you'll be careful," Dad said when we arrived at the diner.

"Of course Dad. He's different, you'll see what I mean when you meet him," I said.

We got out and walked inside. There he was, waiting right by the door.

"Hey Ella," he greeted, giving me a gentle, one-armed hug that immediately made me feel secure. "Hello, Dr. Cullen, I'm Alec. Thanks for allowing Ella to have dinner with me, Sir."

Dad had a pleased look on his face. "Take care of my daughter, Alec."

"Absolutely. I'll have her home by nine," he said.

"Ten," I insisted.

"I'll have her home by ten," Alec promised.

Dad nodded and shot Alec a grave look before leaving.

"How did I do?" Alec asked me.

"Fabulous. Wait, was all that charm just for show?" I asked.

He winked. "I use it when I need it."

I giggled and let him lead me to a table. It was a booth towards the back, very private. He picked me up bridal-style and swung me around once before setting me in the booth. I yelped in surprise.

He bounced his eyebrows. "I'm full of surprises."

I giggled again.

"I love your laugh. It's just so . . . girly."

This of course caused me to laugh.

"Do I get points for making you laugh?" he asked.

"Sure," I said.

We both ordered spaghetti. It was cool that we had the same tastes. It would make cooking for the two of us so much easier. Whoa, slow down Ella. It's just the first date, don't get too far ahead of yourself.

"So, tell me about yourself," he said.

"What do you want to know?" I asked.

"What's your favorite color?" he asked.

"Either pink or blue," I answered. "You?"

"Black," he said.

I giggled, gesturing to his leather jacket. "I never would've guessed."

"When were you born?" he asked.

"June seventeenth. On Father's Day," I added.

"December third," he said.

"What's something weird about you?" I asked him.

He thought for a moment. "You're going to be disgusted by this, but when I was little, I used to eat belly-button lint."

I giggled. "Gross. You don't do that now, do you?"

"Of course not!"

"Just checking."

Our food came.

"What's something unique about you?" he asked.

"Well, I'm adopted for one thing."

"Really? I didn't know that," he said.

"Tell me about your parents," I said, taking a bite of spaghetti.

He sighed. "They're not something I'm particularly proud of. They do drugs and stuff, but enough on them."

"I understand," I said. So I wasn't the only one.

"So, are you a virgin?" he asked teasingly.

I knew that he was kidding, but I figured he should know. "No." I said quietly.

His face became abruptly serious. "I was just kidding."

"I know, but there's something you need to know."

He waited.

"I was raped when I was eight years old," I told him.

He dropped his fork and reached across the table, taking my hands. "You don't have to tell me now, Ella."

"I do," I said and launched into my tale.

"Ella, I'm so sorry that happened to you," he said.

I shrugged. "I'm pretty much okay now."

"If I had known, I so would not have asked that question. Please, forgive me."

"It's fine," I said. "Like I said, I'm okay now. The man that did it is . . . dead, anyway."

We finished eating, and went outside. We were heading towards the car, but slowly and hesitantly, as if we both didn't want this night to end.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, what's up with your parents?" I asked.

"Like I said, they do drugs and drink. They couldn't care less about me. My grandmother is paying for school and my car and putting clothes on my back. Our house is an absolute disaster. Broken beer bottles, used cigarettes, and pills and needles lying around. I hate it," he said.

"You're nineteen, can't you move out?" I asked.

He snorted. "Where will I go? I'm still in high school, and there's no way I can ask my grandmother to get me a place. With her paying for college and all . . ." he trailed off.

I raised an eyebrow. "College?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "You're going to think that I'm a total nerd, but I did my year of college last year and now I'm almost done with my first year of medical school."

"I don't think that's nerdy. That's great! What are you going for?" I asked.

"I'm training to be a pediatrician," he said.

"It's nice that you have a plan. I have no idea what I want my career to be. But I am two years younger than you," I said.

He started laughing. "Seriously? You've never thought about a career?"

"Well, when I was little I wanted to be a princess."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Yeah, you as a princess, riiiiiiiight."

I glared at him.

"Sheesh, I'm just kidding," he said.

I looked at my phone. "It's nine-thirty, we should go."

He drove me right up to the door.

"I don't want to go to school tomorrow," I grumbled.

"Well it's Wednesday, only two more days. Maybe we can do something this weekend?" he suggested.

I smiled. "Sure, I'd like that."

"We'll talk about it tomorrow," he said.

"Bye," I said and got out of the car.

I stood outside and watched him drive away. After a few minutes, I went inside and told everyone that I had a wonderful time. I went up to my room and got ready for bed. This time, I didn't need drugs to make me happy. I was already on Cloud Nine. Alec Lautner, the boy who had been so mean all these years. I did not see this one coming.

There was something about Alec that just screamed "gentleman". I didn't know if it was his romantic behavior, his gentle nature, or his amount of responsibility. All I knew is that tonight was different and wonderful. I got out my guitar.

_**Took a deep breath in the mirror  
He didn't like it when I wore high heels  
But I do  
Turn the lock and put my headphones on  
He always said he didn't get this song  
But I do, I do**_

_**Walked in expecting you'd be late**_  
_**But you got here early and you stand and wave**_  
_**I walk to you**_  
_**You pull my chair out and help me in**_  
_**And you don't know how nice that is**_  
_**But I do**_

_**And you throw your head back laughing like a little kid**_  
_**I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did**_  
_**I've been spending the last eight months**_  
_**Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end**_  
_**But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again**_

_**You said you never met one girl**_  
_**Who had as many James Taylor records as you**_  
_**But I do**_  
_**We tell stories and you don't know why**_  
_**I'm coming off a little shy**_  
_**But I do**_

_**But you throw your head back laughing like a little kid**_  
_**I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did**_

_**I've been spending the last eight months**_  
_**Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end**_  
_**But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again**_

_**And we walked down the block to my car and I almost brought him up**_  
_**But you start to talk about the movies that your family**_  
_**Watches**_  
_**Every single Christmas and I want to talk about that**_  
_**And for the first time what's past is past**_

_**'Cause you throw your head back laughing like a little kid**_  
_**I think it's strange that you think I'm funny 'cause he never did**_  
_**I've been spending the last eight months**_

_**Thinking all love ever does is break and burn and end**_  
_**But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin again**_

_**But on a Wednesday in a cafe I watched it begin** **again.**_

This was a new beginning. But the question was, the beginning of what?

* * *

**A/N: The song used in this chapter is "Begin Again" by Taylor Swift. A lot of her songs are perfect for this story. Please review, and ideas and questions are always welcome. Thanks for reading, and check out my other stories and vote on my poll.**


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N: I am so sorry for the wait. I went on a sudden and unexpected camping trip. Important Author's Note at the bottom. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: My dreams aren't quite creative enough to come up with the Twilight Saga. It belongs to Stephanie Meyer. I own this story and that's it.**

* * *

**CHAPTER 46:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

The feeling was back in the morning. The feeling of emptiness and sadness was killing me again. I swallowed a few pills, but they didn't help. I needed something stronger.

I left for school much earlier than I had to. I had told my parents that I wanted to spend some time with a friend before class. They probably assumed that it would be Alec, but they didn't say anything. Dad had given me a long, hard stare for a moment, looking for anything suspicious. I pretended not to notice, busying myself by digging through my purse. Finally, he let me go and I got in my car and drove toward the drug dealer's.

I had to make this trip quick. One being because it was already a quarter after seven and it took me a half hour to get to school, which started at eight, and two because my car was very recognizable. Rarely anybody knew what this place was, but if Dad found out that I was anywhere but school, I'd be in big trouble.

I walked down the dim stairway to the store. Just like last time, the only person there was the dealer. But this time, the shelves looked a little more picked over, so he had obviously gotten some business.

"Back so soon?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I need something stronger," I told him.

"Ecstasy no longer satisfying?"

"It was for a while, but then I got used to it. Cigarettes are doing wonders though. Thank you, by the way," I said.

He smirked. "No problem."

"So, what do you recommend? Hiding it isn't such a big deal anymore, I've practiced, but it still has to be something with little to no visual side effects," I said.

"I get it. Try this," he said, grabbing a small blue box that claimed to be birth control. "Cocaine."

I opened it up, expecting to find pills, but there was more than that. Pills, a white card, and a small straw.

"What's all this?" I asked.

He chuckled. "You really are new at this, aren't you?"

I nodded.

"Use a credit card or something equivalent to divide the powder from the pill into three or four small rows on the white card. Then take the straw and snort it up, simple as that," he said.

"Okay, thanks," I said.

I paid the ridiculous amount and rushed out to my car. I hid my purchase deep inside my purse and drove off toward the school. It was ten to eight by the time I got there, so I didn't have time to take the drugs now. I pulled in to the first open parking spot I saw and ran inside. I was a few minutes late to class, but I received nothing more than a stern look from the teacher.

I was shoving my books in my locker before I went to lunch when a note suddenly fell out and landed on my foot. I picked it up and saw that it was a short message from Alec saying to meet him in the hallway at lunch. My heart filled with honey and my stomach filled with butterflies as I walked toward our private place. I almost regretted showing up late at school because I had missed out on time with Alec, but drugs were becoming a need for me. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, I knew I was becoming addicted, and very quickly.

"Hey Ella," Alec greeted as I approached.

"Hi Alec," I said brightly.

"Here, sit." He patted the floor next to him. I sat down and he handed me a tray with a plate of salad from the cafeteria.

"Where were you this morning?" he asked as I took a bite of food.

I stopped chewing. Tell him. Don't tell him. Tell him. Don't tell him. Tell him?

"You have to promise to keep this a secret," I told him.

"Of course," he said with a nod.

I looked down the hallway to make sure it was empty before speaking. "Getting drugs."

"Oh," he said. "That really disappoints me, but I guess I can't say much since I'm in the same boat."

"What are you taking?" I asked.

"Cocaine, and a little bit of Meth."

My eyes widened. "Same."

He sighed. "That's the one thing I wish we didn't have in common."

"Just out of curiosity, do you get your drugs from that guy in the basement downtown?" I asked.

"Yeah, do you?"

I nodded. "Isn't he a bit . . . pricey, though?"

Alec laughed out loud. "You're a newbie, I can tell." His face turned serious. "It's the only thing my parents do have money for. They know what I'm doing, and they're fine with it. They've even sent me to pick up their drugs."

"Wow. If my parents knew, I'd be on a leash for the rest of my life," I said.

"Different topic. I didn't meet you here to talk about drugs," he said.

"Of course. What do you want to talk about then?" I asked.

He smiled. "Well, for one thing, I just wanted to see you."

"Good reason," I giggled.

"But there's more. I wanted to ask you what you want to do this weekend," he said.

"I don't know. A bar maybe?" I suggested.

He laughed out loud. "What has gotten into you, Angel? First drugs, and now you want to go hang out at a bar? Are you trying to die young?"

I blushed and looked down. "Actually, bars came first," I admitted quietly.

He sighed, humored behavior from moments ago gone. "Guess we're just a pair of messed up teens."

The happiness was quickly disappearing, and I was in need of a dose of Cocaine.

"Alec, I don't want to talk about this. We have our issues, but our strengths are so much more important. We have to figure out what to do this weekend," I said, getting us back on track.

"Right, right. So what do you wanna do? I have something in mind, but it's really up to you," he said.

"I've got nothing. What's your idea?"

"I was thinking we could go hang out at La Push Beach. It's about two hours away, but's it's beautiful. Have you ever been there?"

La Push, that was Jacob's Rez. I had always wanted to go, but I had never found time to go with Bella before she was turned and banned from the reservation. "No, I've never been. Sounds fun. You wanna pick me up Saturday around ten?"

"Sure. Are you sure your parents won't mind?" he asked.

I smiled deviously. "My mom'll be fine with it, and my dad will be won over when he finds out you're going to medical school."

His lips curved up into a small smile. "I guess it's a date."

I didn't know why I was spending so much time obsessing over my hair. It would get ruined in the water anyway. I pushed my bangs off to one side, and then to the other. I put my hair up in a ponytail, but took it down. I sighed, and just let my swirl around me in its natural waves.

My phone plinked, letting me know that I had a text.

_**I'm here**_, it read.

I grabbed my beach bag and hurried down the stairs. The doorbell rang just as I reached it. I flung it open to see Alec standing there in a white T-shirt and black board shorts.

"Hey Beautiful," he greeted.

I giggled flirtatiously. "Hi."

I let him in and called for my parents. My mother showed up first, having been almost as anxious to see him as I was.

"Hello Alec!" my mother said excitedly.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Cullen," Alec said formally, kissing the back of her hand.

"Oh my, what a gentleman. You should keep this one Ella," she said.

I blushed. "Mom," I mumbled, embarrassed.

"Oh, right, sorry. I'm not cool anymore, that's right."

Just then Dad appeared.

"Nice to see you again, Dr. Cullen," Alec said pleasantly.

Dad nodded. "Alec."

"Let's go sit in the living room so you can tell me all about yourself!" Mom said, taking Alec by the hand, who dragged me along with him.

We all got settled in the living room. Alec and I sat together holding hands on the couch. Mom and Dad lounged across from us.

"So, how are you, Alec?" Mom asked casually.

"Good, especially since I've got a gorgeous girl sitting next to me," Alec said, giving my hand a squeeze.

"How old are you?" Dad asked.

"Nineteen," he said.

Dad raised an eyebrow.

"I failed seventh grade," he quickly explained. "Twice."

My parents shared a disapproving look.

"Oh come on guys," I said. "He's only two years older than I am, and Alec is doing fine in school now. Actually, he's already finished college and is on his first year of medical school."

Dad looked up, interested. "What are you studying?"

"Pediatrics," Alec answered.

"Oh really? What do your parents do?" Mom asked curiously.

Alec looked anxious. "They, um . . ."

"He lives with his grandmother," I said quickly. It was a lie, of course, but his grandmother did support him.

"Have you ever been arrested?" Dad asked.

"No Sir."

"Hey, that's better than me," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

Alec turned to me. "What?"

"Story for a different time," I said.

"Do you drink?" Dad asked.

"Oh for crying out loud, this is ridiculous. You've met him, can we go now?" I asked, standing up and pulling Alec with me.

"Have fun you two!" Mom called.

"But not too much fun," Dad said sternly.

Alec and I both laughed as we walked out the door. I stopped when I saw a sleek black motorcycle in the driveway.

"I thought you only had a car."

"Nope, Gramma's got the big bucks," he said with a smile.

I laughed and hopped on the back of it. My parent's hadn't known about Mitchell or his motorcycle, so I would probably receive a lecture from Dad later about how dangerous motorcycles were. Then I would tell him that I already have experience, and tell him out Mitchell. I couldn't wait to see him flip out.

It took two hours to get to the beach. The motorcycle was actually pretty comfortable. Sporty and comfortable, works for me. I pulled a beach towel out of my bag and laid it out on the sand. Alec took off his shirt and kicked off his boots before laying down on it, opening his arms warmly. "Come here."

I cuddled up into his arms. I lay my head against his toned chest and sigh contently. This was one of those really rare times of my life where I felt safe. It was really kinda funny since Alec had been my worst nightmare back in eighth grade.

"So, do I get to see your gorgeous little bikini bod?" Alec joked, snapping me back into the present.

I felt nervous. "Ummm . . ."

"I don't mean to make you uncomfortable," he said.

"No, it's not that. It's just . . . well, you won't try anything, will you?" I asked, half nervous and half embarrassed.

Alec moved out from under me causing my head to flop down against the sand. He got to his feet and pulled me up with him. He grabbed my face and looked sincerely into my eyes.

"Gabriella Dixie Cullen, I swear on my life to _never _hurt you. I know about your past, and I know what it's like to live your childhood without parents. I would _never_ penetrate that area without your permission, and even then, I'd be gentle. But trust me, that is the last thing on my mind. All that is on my mind right now is you. Ella, I love you and promise to never hurt you." Then he leaned in and kissed my lips.

It was soft, and gentle, but at the same time powerful and passionate. His lips felt like the inside of a rose. They were so sweet that they seemed to be dripping honey. I kissed back, letting my thoughts of love for him fill my mind. I tried to put those thoughts into the kiss, to just show him how much he meant to me. We kissed for a solid two minutes before forcing ourselves to break apart.

"Okay?" Alec said.

I smiled. "Can we do it again?"

He snickered and touched my nose. "Maybe later. Let's go swimming."

"In September? Are you kidding?"

"Fine, I'll just go by myself," he said and walked away, nose high in the air.

"Oh all right," I said, giving in. I took off my shorts and ran to meet up with him. We stood at the shore, waiting for the tide to come in and touch our toes. When it did, I jumped back. It was icy cold. Alec grinned and picked me up. He plunged into the freezing water with me in his arms.

"It's so cold!" I shrieked.

"You'll get used to it," he said with a devious smirk on his face.

"Do _not _even _think_ about pushing me underwater," I told him.

He put his hands up in denial as if to say "Don't look at me."

We messed around in the water until sunset. When Alec deemed it too dark to swim, we dried off and lay down on the beach towel. Alec pulled my body to his and held me tightly, his warm skin comforting and relaxing. I closed my eyes and buried my face into his chest. He rested his chin on top of my head and sighed contently. It was obvious: We were in love.

**DR. CULLEN'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"Ella, if you do not answer your phone in the next half hour you are grounded for the rest of the school year which means no more visits with Alec outside of school."

I snapped my phone shut after leaving the threatening voicemail. I hated to threaten her, but sometimes it was the only way she would listen. And if she didn't listen, I would have to carry out that threat which I hated even more. She knew better than to ignore my calls.

I nervously paced the room. What if she was hurt? Was that the reason she wasn't answering her phone? Where was she? All those questions replayed over and over again in my head. The last time Ella didn't pick up was because she was at a bar. She wouldn't do that again, would she?

Alec had promised me that he'd bring her safely home before sundown, which was over two hours ago. Why hadn't I gotten the kid's cell phone number? I mentally kicked myself for not thinking of that. I swallowed as I imagined the unthinkable. Had he hurt her?

"Carlisle, she'll be home soon, I'm sure. They probably just lost track of time and are driving here right now. The bike's probably too loud for her to hear her phone," Esme said, coming into my study.

"That's what I'm worried about. They're on a motorcycle in the dark?! Why don't I just head in to work right now!"

Esme intercepted the path that I had surely worn in the carpet. "Carlisle, give them another two hours. If they aren't here by then, we'll call the police to see if they can check out the beach in La Push."

I glanced at the clock. "Two hours! It'll be _midnight _by then. And the last thing we need is to be investigated for not looking after a child properly!" I fumed.

"She's not a child, you know. I think seventeen is a little bit too old for them to press charges," Esme said.

"That's beside the point!" I insisted.

"Carlisle, I think you need to understand something. Ella is growing up; she's almost an adult. She's figuring things out on her own, and doesn't need your guidance as much. I think you need to stop hanging onto her so tightly. If she needs help, she'll call you. But until she does, let's assume she's fine."

"Guess what, just because she's _almost _eighteen doesn't mean that she _is _eighteen. I may be able to cut her a little more slack, but I still have rules that I expect her to follow. Curfew, for one. And making sure I know the whereabouts has always been a rule with the children, even now. I may not have any control a few months from now, but this is the time where we can make the most lasting impression. And we want that impression to be responsibility, do we not?"

"I see your point, but I still think you need to relax. Since she did lie to you about curfew, you can dole out any punishment that you believe is in order, but keep it reasonable. She is in love, Carlisle. The world stops and time stands still when you are in love," Esme said.

Just then the front door burst open.

"Mom! Dad! I can explain!" Ella said frantically.

Esme and I flitted down the stairs. Time to get all parental on her again.

"Where have you been, Young Lady?" I demanded.

"We fell asleep for a while on the beach. We left at nine-thirty and just got back now. I am so sorry. I know I promised to be home by eight," she said.

"I have called you several times in the past three hours. Why didn't you answer your phone?" I asked sharply.

"I told you, I was sleeping, and then we were driving home. I forgot to check my phone, I guess," she said.

"This isn't the first time we've had communication problems," I said.

"I know, I know and I'm really sorry. I didn't do it on purpose. I know that you're probably going to ground me, and I will do my time without complaining."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. Ella was actually giving in to her punishment? My strong, bull-headed daughter always came up with every reason in the book as to why she shouldn't be punished. Seeing her realize her mistake and take responsibility for it made my heart swell proudly. I must be doing something right and getting through to her.

"You are most certainly correct about the grounding. We will have a discussion about that and what the words "curfew" and "communication" mean," I said.

She nodded. "Yes Sir."

"Are you tired?" I asked her.

"No," she said.

"Then let's go have our discussion in my study," I said. I pointed to the stairs. "March."

* * *

**A/N: I am leaving for a week long vacation on Wednesday, so I will not be updating for about that long. I promise to get to work as soon as I get back. Thank you for understanding. There is also something that I want to point out that I didn't in the previous chapter. I DO NOT DO DRUGS! All of that information is because of research I did on the internet and is more or less accurate. I am not encouraging anyone to try them as I am against them myself. They are a waste of life, and there are other ways to deal with things than drugs. Lastly I would like to thank those who reviewed last chapter and I ask that you please continue to do so. They are rewarding and inspiring! I will update the next chance I get. Ta ta for now! Oh, and please review! **


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N: I am back from vacation and the fiasco of me moving to Texas is finally over. I of course apologize for the wait. Thank you to those who reviewed, and thank you to all who read! Enjoy the chapter, and there is a VERY important Author's Note at the bottom.**

**Disclaimer: I'm going to say the same thing as everyone else: I DO NOT OWN THE TWILIGHT SAGA!**

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**CHAPTER 47:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

My senior year passed more quickly than I could comprehend. It was May, and prom was next week. Then two weeks after that, my high school education would be over. You could almost see the excitement that wafted through class atmosphere. Freedom was near; there was no doubt about that.

There was one downside to the whole situation, though. Even though it was May, snow still covered the ground and it was bitterly cold. The weather was weird this winter. It was colder, darker, and we had gotten more snow than usual. Mom had joked that it was because I was getting older and would be moving out soon, but I didn't believe her.

My relationship with Alec was stronger than ever. Over the months, we had gone on several more dates and simply got to know each other better. I think the main reason why we are able to make our relationship work is because we are both fine with taking it slow. We have yet to sleep in the same bed, and neither of us had explored the other's assets. Slow was good.

I bundled up in my warmest clothes before getting in my car to drive to school. A few months ago, Rosalie and I had gone to a car show and she tried to convince me that I should get a convertible. I almost got one. I actually went as far as calling Dad so see if he would be okay with me spending that kind of money. He had reminded me of my Mustang and told me that I would have to sell it in order to make room for the new car. He also said that convertibles just weren't practical for Washington. After hearing those two sentences, I immediately changed my mind. _Nothing_ would ever make me sell my Mustang. I loved it too much.

"Hey," I greeted Alec as I caught up with him to walk to our first class.

"What's up, Buttercup?"

I giggled at his most recent nickname for me. I had told him months ago to stop coming up with nicknames, but deep down I honestly liked them. I think he knew that, too.

"I'm sick of the cold," I said.

"Me too. As soon as I finish med school, I'm outta this state!" he said.

I smiled and laughed with him. On the inside, I felt a little bit sad. That would mean that we wouldn't be so close anymore. I wouldn't see him every day at school. We wouldn't be able to go on as many dates. At least I still had a year before that happened.

The morning passed quickly, and I was left bored at my free period. I hated my schedule. I had two classes in the morning then a free period, and then lunch. That was okay, because most of my friends including Alec had the same morning free period that I did. I guess the only sucky part was that I had a free period after lunch, and then Drama before I could go home. None of my other friends had a second free period that I did. They all had science. I really hated that subject, so I dropped it. I would've dropped Drama, too, but then I wouldn't have enough credits to graduate. I don't think that Dad would be very happy with me if I dropped out of school.

Even though it was bitterly cold outside, I decided to go for a walk around campus. I went out one of the back doors so that I wouldn't be seen by any teachers. I opened the door and stepped outside. There were footprints in the snow that curved around the building. With nothing better to do, I decided to follow them.

They led me around to the front of the building, and then started to take me around toward the back again. They went over the hills in the direction of the soccer field. My feet were killing me, and I was about to turn back to the building, when I made it over the last hill that sloped down into the field.

There, written by footprints in the snow, was the word PROM spelled out in huge letters that could be seen from miles away.

Alec stepped out of the woods and came into view. He looked up at me from the bottom with the biggest smile on his face. I ran as fast as I could down the hill toward him. He caught me in his arms and spun me around. He put me down and pulled me close.

"Ella, will you go to prom with me?" he asked simply.

My eyes filled with tears as I stared into his. "Of course!"

He leaned down and crushed his lips against mine. We stood there for a few minutes before finally breaking apart.

"Oh my gosh I have to get a picture of this. My mom will flip! She'll make my dad take lessons from you on how to be romantic," I said, pulling out my phone. I snapped the picture and turned my attention back to Alec. He was the only thing I wanted to focus on right now anyway. "You know, you haven't struck me as a super romantic guy, but I have to say, this is very romantic."

He smirked. "Oh please. If anyone's a hopeless romantic around here, it's you. I'm just romantic when I need to be. Asking you to prom seemed like a good excuse to get all romantic."

I smiled. "This is wonderful. There is not another guy on Earth that would do this for me."

"I just hope all those stupid juniors don't reuse my idea when they ask their dates to prom," he grumbled.

"Imitation is the highest form of flattery, you know," I said to him.

"That doesn't mean I have to like it."

I giggled. "I agree with you there. I don't like people who copy me either."

The rest of the day passed quickly, and too soon, Alec and I walked toward our cars. I hated this time of day. It was the time that we have to part ways. Alec had to go to med school, and I had to go home to my family. I just wished that Alec could come with me. He had never had good, loving parents that cared about him. His whole life, he had to depend on either himself or his grandmother. I wanted him to know what it's like to have fabulous parents. My parents were probably the only people in the world that could show him that. I had talked to my mother about it, and she said that she would do the best she can to make him feel welcome and loved whenever he's around them. Alec preferred alone time with me, and I did too, but a few of the times that he has come over we've done things with Mom. I knew that, on the inside, Alec adored her. He just didn't let it show. I had no idea why he wasn't more open around my family. I guessed that it was because he could hardly trust anybody. I could only hope that in time he would open up and show everyone that he needs their love.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Beautiful," Alec said as he unlocked his car.

"Yeah, bye," I said sadly. My head dropped.

I felt hands gently gripping the sides of my shoulders. I looked up to see Alec standing in front of me.

"Hey, don't be sad. We'll see each other at school every day for the rest of this week and just think, prom is on Saturday, and I plan on spending every second with you," he said and rubbed my arms a few times before jumping into his car. He sped off before I could even move.

When I got home, no one was there. There was a note from Mom saying that she was at the store and my siblings were out on a mini hunting trip. I threw the note away and went upstairs to my room. I was kind of disappointed. I had been looking forward to seeing my family and spending time with them to keep my mind off of Alec. I would just have to find something else to keep me busy. I looked around my room trying to find something to do. It was spotless from all the other times that I had been sad about being away from Alec. I always cleaned my room to distract myself. A few times I've actually messed it up first just to create work. I spotted my guitar standing proudly on its stand in the corner. It had been a while since I'd created a new song. I grabbed it and let my mind wander. Maybe I'd think of a new love song for Alec. He really liked them. When I sang "Begin Again" to him, he said that I was corny. But later he asked me to sing it for him again. That was when I knew he liked it.

Unfortunately, my thoughts weren't about love. I started to think about Zach. I missed him so much. Flashbacks from his tragic death came flooding back to me. Holding his little head in my hands as it burned to ashes, Caius tearing him apart right in front of my eyes, it just all came back. Tears streaked down my face.

**I remember your bare feet down the hallway  
I remember your little laugh  
Race cars on the kitchen floor, plastic dinosaurs  
I love you to the moon and back**

**I remember your blue eyes looking into mine**  
**Like we had our own secret club**  
**I remember you dancing before bed time**  
**Then jumping on me, waking me up**

**I can still feel you hold my hand, little man**  
**And even the moment I knew**  
**You fought it hard like an army guy**  
**Remember I leaned in and whispered to you**

**Come on baby with me we're gonna fly away from here**  
**You were my best four days**

**I remember the drive home**  
**When the blind hope turned to crying and screaming "Why?"**  
**Flowers pile up in the worst way, no one knows what to say**  
**About a beautiful boy who died**

**And it's about to be Halloween**  
**You could be anything you wanted if you were still here**  
**I remember the last day when I kissed your face**  
**I whispered in your ear**

**Come on baby with me we're gonna fly away from here**  
**Out of this curtain room and this hospital grey, we'll just disappear**  
**Come on baby with me we're gonna fly away from here**  
**You were my best four days**

**What if I'm standing in your closet trying to talk to you?**  
**What if I kept the hand-me-downs you won't grow into?**  
**And what if I really thought some miracle would see us through?**  
**What if the miracle was even getting one moment with you?**

**Come on baby with me we're gonna fly away from here**  
**Come on baby with me we're gonna fly away from here**  
**You were my best four days**

**I remember your bare feet down the hallway**  
**I love you to the moon and back.**

I called it "Zachariah." I had gotten choked up by the end. I was full out sobbing now. I crawled across the floor and peered under the bed, searching for it. I grabbed the dusty, heart-shaped handkerchief that Alec had given me last year. I clutched it to my chest and cried.

"I need you!" I sobbed.

I sat on the floor and rocked back and forth for a few minutes. Finally I calmed down and was able to breathe. I got up and dug through my purse until I found the Cocaine. I sniffed it up and instantly felt better. I couldn't be left alone anymore, I just couldn't.

Angel hobbled over to me. I pulled her to me for a hug. She was shaky and unsteady. She was getting older and sicker every day. Nobody had said anything, but we all knew that she was on her way out. Dad had taken her to the vet a few weeks ago for a yearly checkup and we had learned that she had developed a heart problem. They couldn't get an estimate as to how long she would live. They said that it could be a few hours, days, weeks, months, and so on. I just hated to see her suffer. It just reminded me so much of myself.

The week passed quickly. With Alice's help, I was almost ready for prom. She was just putting the finishing touches on my makeup and hair. My prom dress was electric blue this year. It was strapless and formfitting. The skirt had gentle ruffles as it fell loosely around me. It didn't stick out like a hoopskirt, but it wasn't right against my legs either. The top was outlined with faux diamonds. I paired it with sparkly silver heels and diamond earrings. My makeup was done gothic, as usual. Except I'd switched the purple lipstick for red and lightened the eyeliner. My long, light brown hair was curled. Alice had pulled up a little bit of hair from each side and braided it and tied them together in the back. Not to be bold, but I looked like a princess.

The doorbell rang.

"Alec's here!" I cheered.

Alice helped me down to the top of the grand staircase. She insisted that would be how I made my entrance. Alice hid me behind the wall before flitting to the door. She greeted Alec, and I figured that was my cue. I made myself visible and posed against the railing. Mom snapped a picture of me and then one of Alec's love-struck reaction.

"You are a goddess," Alec finally said.

I blushed. "I know."

He chuckled. "Come down here so I can kiss you."

I walked quickly down the stairs. I tripped on the last step and fell right into his waiting arms.

"I knew that would happen," he said.

He steadied me before kissing me passionately on my lips. We broke apart, and he held out a small box with flowers in it. Alice took it from him and clipped it into the connected braids on the back of my head. She put me in front of the mirror and held up a smaller one behind me so that I could see the pretty pink roses that were now in my hair. Alec did a good job at picking the flowers. That boy knows me well.

"Should we get going?" Alec asked.

"Yes, I'm ready," I said.

"Wait! Let me get a picture of you two high school sweethearts," Mom said. We posed for her and she snapped the picture. "Perfect!" she said.

I was surprised to see a limo waiting outside.

"Is this a joke?" I asked. I couldn't believe my eyes.

"Nope. My grandmother wants to make sure I'm treating you right," he said with a smirk.

"She knows about me?"

"Yes. You came up in conversation the last time I visited her."

"Where does she live again?" I asked.

"California."

I was quiet for a moment. "Did she tell you what flowers to buy?"

His smile faltered and he put on his poker face. "Maybe."

I giggled. He helped me into the limo before sliding in next to me. The ride was short, and we arrived at the hotel ballroom that the prom was being held at. He helped me out and took my hand. We handed in our tickets and joined the party. We went straight to the dance floor. I had only ever danced to a slow song, and that was last year when Alec taught me. I realized that it was exactly a year ago that our relationship had started. It was like fate brought us together.

"What are you thinking about?" Alec asked.

"Oh, nothing. I just realized that this is our one-year anniversary," I said.

He smiled. "I know that. That's why I planned tonight."

I looked at him, astonished. "You mean tonight's gonna be more than prom?"

He smirked. "People in my family don't go halfway on anniversaries."

I rolled my eyes. "Just dance with me."

"Wait just a minute. I'll be right back." He left without another word. He returned shortly and a new song began to play. He held me close.

**You know I'd fall apart without you  
I don't know how you do what you do  
'Cause everything that don't make sense about me  
Makes sense when I'm with you**

**Like everything that's green, girl, I need you**  
**But it's more than one and one makes two**  
**Put aside the math and the logic of it**  
**You gotta know you're wanted too**

**'Cause I wanna wrap you up**  
**Wanna kiss your lips**  
**I wanna make you feel wanted**  
**And I wanna call you mine**  
**Wanna hold your hand forever**  
**And never let you forget it**  
**Yeah, I, I wanna make you feel wanted**

**Anyone can tell you you're pretty, yeah**  
**And you get that all the time, I know you do**  
**But your beauty's deeper than the make-up**  
**And I wanna show you what I see tonight...**

**When I wrap you up**  
**When I kiss your lips.**  
**I wanna make you feel wanted**  
**And I wanna call you mine**  
**Wanna hold your hand forever**  
**And never let you forget it**  
**'Cause, baby, I, I wanna make you feel wanted**

**As good as you make me feel**  
**I wanna make you feel better**  
**Better than your fairy tales**  
**Better than your best dreams**  
**You're more than everything I need**  
**You're all I ever wanted**  
**All I ever wanted**

**And I just wanna wrap you up**  
**Wanna kiss your lips**  
**I wanna make you feel wanted**  
**And I wanna call you mine**  
**Wanna hold your hand forever**  
**And never let you forget it**  
**Yeah, I wanna make you feel wanted**  
**Baby, I wanna make you feel wanted**

**You'll always be wanted.**

The song ended, and we stared into each other's eyes. We were both lost in the moment, absorbed in each other. My true love was standing right in front of me, I knew it. I would be with Alec till the end of time.

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**A/N: All right, big news! This story has been nominated for Energize W.I.P Awards as "Most Promising Twilight Fanfiction - canon"! More information and the link to the website is posted in the NOTIFICATIONS section on my profile. Voting is from July 13th to July 20th. Please vote for me! Also, thank you to the person/persons who nominated me. It's huge just to be a nominee! I'll get the banner up soon. Finally, please review, favorite, follow and/or add this story to a community. Also vote on my poll. And once more, vote for this story! PM me if you have any questions or leave them in a review if you don't have a FanFiction account and I will address them in the next chapter's Author's Note. I'll update as soon as I can. Thanks for reading! :)**


	48. Chapter 48

**A/N: I now have ninety reviews! There are a few things I forgot to say in the last chapter. The first song used was "Ronan" by Taylor Swift. I altered a few of the lyrics and changed the title. It was an idea given to me by Linneagb, so thanks to her for that! The second song was "Wanted" by Hunter Hayes. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I'm running out of ideas, do you have any suggestions?**

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**CHAPTER 48:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Prom ended at about midnight, and Alec and I were standing outside waiting for our limo to pick us up. About halfway through the night, Alec and I were named prom king and queen. We each got our individual small trophies, and then a huge one that was for us to share. Alec told me to keep it at my house; he feared that it would get broken at his.

"So, you said that tonight is more than prom. What more is there?" I asked once we were in the limo.

He grinned widely. "You'll find out."

"Just tell me where we're going. I need to call my parents and tell them that we're going to be out late so they don't freak out," I said.

"All right, fine. We are spending the night in a hotel. I thought that it would be nice for us just to spend some time together," he said.

"Alec, I can't believe you! That sounds wonderful! Is your grandmother okay with paying for this?" I asked.

"Like I said, people in my family don't go halfway for anniversaries."

I pulled out my phone and dialed Mom's number. I figured that this would go better if she knew before Dad.

"Hey Sweetie! How'd it go?" she asked.

"It was magical! We were named prom king and queen!" I told her.

"Oh wow!"

"I know right! Our trophies are sitting right here," I said.

"Where are you guys now? I don't hear any background noise," she said.

"We're in the limo heading to a hotel. Oh yeah, I'm spending the night at a hotel with Alec, okay?"

"Oh, so you're not coming home?" Mom asked, her voice quieting.

"I'll be back tomorrow," I said.

"That's fine. I'll let your father know. I promise that I won't let him interfere," she said.

"Let me interfere with what?" I heard in the background.

I giggled. "I'll let you go know. Love you, and thanks."

"I love you too, and you owe me. Your father is going to be a pain tonight," she said with a sigh.

"Bye," I said and hung up.

We arrived at the hotel. It was just your average Crowne Plaza Hotel, but it was one of the fancier hotels in town. We got out of the limo, and Alec tipped the driver. "Thank you for the ride. Pick us up here around ten-thirty tomorrow morning," he said.

Alec checked in at the front desk. When he opened the door to our room, my jaw dropped. It wasn't a regular hotel room, it was a presidential suite. Complete with a king-size bed, a Jacuzzi, a separate living room and kitchen, and a balcony.

"I – I thought we were only staying one night," I stuttered.

"We are. But it's our anniversary, I want it to be special. A night to remember . . ." he trailed off.

He slowly slid his hands up my arms, to my neck, and pulled my hair to one side so that he could put his head forward and kiss me. I whirled so that I faced him and crushed my lips to his. My fingers locked around his head, clutching his hair. His arms connected around my back, trapping me in an unbreakable vise. He moved forward a few steps and pushed me down onto the bed. We broke apart for a few moments, catching our breath.

"I love you, so much," I panted.

Alec crushed his lips to mine again. We kissed for what seemed like forever, but it was probably only a few minutes. Time just stood still. Finally he backed away and sat up, pulling me with him. His hands went to my back, and then began sliding down, pulling my dress with them. He pushed it down to my waist, leaving my top half with nothing but my strapless black bra.

"Is this okay?" he asked.

To be honest, I was a little bit worried. Memories of Riley came flooding back to me. I took a deep breath. _This isn't Riley, this is Alec. The boy that you have known since eighth grade. The boy that swore would never hurt you_, I told myself.

"Yeah . . ." I sounded unsure.

He put his hand on my left breast. "How about this?"

I took another deep breath. "Fine," I lied. I started to undo the buttons on his white dress-shirt. He had taken his tuxedo jacket off when we got in the door, so he was left bare-chested. His perfectly sculpted chest was just as beautiful as it was on the beach.

He quickly unlatched my bra and pushed me down onto the bed. Him laying over me seemed kind of intimidating. I was very uncomfortable and nervous now. I wished that I had told him the truth when he asked if what he did was okay. I should've said no, but now I felt like it was too late to change my answer.

He swiped his thumbs over my nipples. I panicked. "Stop!" I shouted. He instantly stopped. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry . . . I – I can't . . ." I put my bra back on and got off the bed. I headed toward the bathroom, pulling my dress up as I ran. I shut the door and locked it. I put my back against it and slid down to the floor, panting. I put my hands to my face and started crying. I had ruined everything. I had let my past take over the present and let down Alec. He probably thought that I didn't trust him. I hate Riley. I hate him! He fucking ruined my whole damn life!

"Ella . . . Ella! Are you okay? I'm so sorry. Let me in," Alec said, banging on the door.

I just kept sobbing. I felt so bad.

"Ella, open this door or I'm breaking it down," he threatened.

"I just need to be alone!" I sobbed.

"Do you want me to call your mom?" he asked more softly.

"No," I cried.

"Do you need anything? I can slip it under the door," he offered.

"Cocaine!" I cried at him. "It's in my purse."

"Just a minute, Beautiful. I'll be right back," he said gently.

He slipped the pill, the straw, and the card under the door. I picked it up and set it on the bathroom counter. I divided the powder and quickly sniffed it up. It worked instantly. The knots were out of my stomach, and I felt ready to talk to Alec. I crawled across the floor to the door and opened it.

**ALEC'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I looked down into my girlfriend's tear-filled eyes. She was sitting on her knees with her beautiful blue dress piled around her. I felt like crying myself, knowing that I had caused this. I crouched down in front of her about three feet away. I figured that she'd want her space.

"Are you okay?" I asked again.

"Yeah." She sniffled.

"I'm so sorry," I apologized again.

"It's not your fault," she said. "It's his."

"Riley," I recalled. "Still, I shouldn't have gone that far. You should have told me that you weren't ready."

"I didn't know how to say no," she said.

"It wouldn't have offended me," I told her.

"I _wanted_ to do it. I just let my past get to me," she said, looking down.

I sat on my knees, hooked my hands under her skinny arms, and pulled her across the floor to my lap. I turned her around and laid her head on my knees. I looked down at her.

"I'm fine with that. I can't blame you. Healing takes time, and maybe you haven't had enough time yet," I said.

She looked at me disbelievingly. "Nine years?"

"It was a tragic event. Have you considered talking to a professional?" he asked.

"Why does everyone want me to talk to a professional?! It's not like I'm messed up!" she shouted.

I was taken aback by her tone. I had never seen Ella this way. I didn't know how to comfort her. Right now, I was thinking that she really needed her parents. They probably knew how to deal with this. I was about to suggest it to her, but then she said something that melted my heart.

"I need you, Alec. You're the only thing that can heal me. I need your love," she cried.

I wrapped my arms around her small five-foot-four body and crushed her to my chest in a tight hug. "I'm here," I told her.

We sat like that on the bathroom floor for a few minutes. She cried into my chest, and I just held her tight because apparently that was all she needed. If she needed my love to heal, then I wouldn't deny her that. I would wait as long as I had to, because in the end, I knew it would all be worth it.

"You look tired. Do you want to go to sleep? I'll sleep on the couch if it would make you more comfortable," I offered.

"I want to go to the bed, but I don't want to sleep and I don't want you more than two inches away from me," she said.

"All right then, Beautiful. Let's go." I pulled her off the floor and carried her bridal-style to the bed. I plopped her down after moving the covers. I climbed in next to her and pulled the covers over us. We locked our fingers together and stared into each other's eyes.

"They say the first year is the hardest," she said after a few minutes of silence.

I smirked. "I think that's for marriage, Buttercup."

"We can always hope for the future," she said with a smile.

I snorted. "You hopeless romantic."

"No, I'm serious." She sat up. "What are we going to do after graduation? I'll be eighteen in a month and I'll have to move out at some point. I don't want to be away from you."

"I don't want to be away from you either, Beautiful," I said, sitting up as well. "I guess we should come up with a plan."

"Well, you finishing medical school and starting your residency is the biggest thing. Are you going to do both years of med school at University of Washington? Where are you going to do your residency?" she asked.

"Well, I'll finish my first year of med school here, and then I actually got accepted into Stanford a few weeks ago. My grandmother lives in San Francisco, which is only twenty minutes from Stanford, so we could stay with her until I finish school. I want to do my residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, which is six hours from San Francisco, so we'd probably have to move there at some point. Of course, when you figure out what you want to do, we'll have to work that in there," I said.

"I have absolutely no idea what I'm going to do. I don't know if I want to go to school or not, and I have no idea what I want my career to be," she said.

"You could always start with college," I suggested. "No matter what career you choose, you'll need to have a basic college education first. Then once you figure out what you want to do, you can go to university."

"Yeah. I just don't want you to be working your ass off while I'm just sitting at home. I mean, that's not fair to you," she said.

"Ella, I honestly don't care if you take longer to figure things out. You have to remember, I'm two years older than you are," I reminded her.

"Yeah, but you failed seventh grade twice, so our intelligence levels are about equal. Except for the fact that I seem to understand concepts better since I never failed a single grade," she said with a smug smile.

"Oh, shut up. The only thing you'll ever be it a couch potato," I teased.

"Oh no you didn't!"

"Oh no yes I did!" I said back, sticking my tongue out at her.

She attacked me. I fell back against the pillows. She tried to bite me, but I started tickling her, and I got the upper hand. I really loved her laugh. It was sexy and cute at the same time. Woman had talent.

**CARLISLE'S POINT OF VIEW:**

I wasn't happy that Ella was staying overnight at a hotel with a boy that she had only been dating for a year. On _prom_ night, of all nights. I had just heard too many stories of what happens to teenage girls when they put a little too much trust in their boyfriends. It also didn't help that it was their one-year anniversary of dating. I couldn't deny the fact that it was cute, kids celebrating a milestone that wasn't really a milestone at all. It had taken Esme almost an hour to convince me not to go get Ella.

"Don't ruin this special night for them," she had said. "Ella would never forgive you. Just think, they'd be having a good time and then you'd show up and take that away from them."

Well, when she put it that way, I knew that I would be staying home to worry. It was true; Ella would be very upset with me if I were to interfere with their night. I only had about a month at most left with her, and I didn't want her to leave on a bad note with me. I figured that I would have a little extra time with her, though. She hasn't applied for any colleges and she hasn't even looked into any apartments. I wasn't even sure if she figured out what state she wanted to live in.

"Carlisle, what are you thinking about?" Esme asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Oh, just wondering what Ella's going to do with her life. She hasn't applied for any colleges, and she hasn't looked into any apartments. I'd hate to think of her as one of those young adults that just sits in her parent's home for five years before actually doing anything. That is not how we raised her," I said.

"I'm sure she'll make us proud. She just hasn't figured out what she wants to do yet. I know that most teenagers have their live planned out in their childhood years, but we both know that Ella isn't "most teenagers". I think she might need a little extra time. If you think about it, for the first eight years of her life she had to survive on her own, which is what she should be doing now. Maybe she just needs that time back," Esme said.

"So you're saying that for the next eight years she'll act like a child?" I said apprehensively.

"Stop being ridiculous, worrisome father. She'll be fine. And when she does need a little extra support, we'll be here. And I have a feeling that you'll let her out of the nest with a few extra sets of wings," Esme said.

"You're right on. I have to admit, her birthday present is a little . . . extravagant."

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

"Alec, yesterday was the time of my life. Thank you so much," I said as the limo pulled up to the house.

"My pleasure. I'll see you on Monday. Now I have to cram for finals for both high school and med school," he said, swiftly kissing my lips.

"See ya," I said and got out of the car, trophies in hand.

I walked up the stairs, wobbling a little bit because of the heels. I felt kinda silly, all dressed up with nowhere to go. Dad greeted me at the door.

"Good morning, Sugar Plum Princess. How was it?" he asked pleasantly.

"Magical. Alec's more romantic than I thought. I think Mom would like it if you took lessons from him," I joked.

"Ha, as if," Dad scoffed.

"So, I see your dress is still in perfect condition. Is that just a façade?" Emmett asked, wagging his eyebrows.

"Emmett," Dad warned.

"Emmett. No," I said, kicking off my heels before starting up the grand staircase.

"C'mon, Lil' Sis. You don't have to lie to me. On prom night, Rose and I –"

"Stop. Stop right there. I do NOT want to know what you and Rose do on prom night. Or any other night, for that matter," I said, and climbed up a few steps.

"Make sure you use protection!" he shouted.

I chucked my heels at him. "Gross! That is none of your business!"

I ran up to my room before he could say anything else.

Once in my room, I put my personal trophy on my side table. I put the big one on the coffee table in my little lounge area. I put the heart handkerchief under it. Then I took off my dress, gave it to Alice to dry-clean, and hopped in the shower. The hot water relaxed my rigid muscles.

My final two weeks of high school passed almost too quickly for me to comprehend. I spent most of it writing and preparing my speech. Yes, believe it or not, I was class valedictorian. Emmett had laughed his head off when I shared the news with my family. Then he realized I was serious, and uttered random words of encouragement. Yeah, that made me feel great. Leave it to Emmett.

"Can you believe it? High school's nearly over!" Courtney gushed as I met up with her in the auditorium.

A few minutes later, the principal started calling names. When I went up, Alec of course had to yell very loudly just to embarrass me. I blushed and looked out at the crowd. Even from here, the tears streaking down my father's face were very visible. He caught my gaze and gave me an encouraging smile, not even bothering to wipe his eyes. I smiled back.

The principal gave me my diploma and I walked off stage and sat back down. When Alec was presented with his diploma, I gave an obnoxious "woot woot!" He gave me an I'll-get-you-for-that look. I smiled sweetly and he smirked. Too soon, the principal had handed out all the diplomas and it was time for me to give my speech.

"Finally, your Class of 2022 valedictorian, Gabriella Cullen," the principal announced. Applause sounded as I walked up to the stage.

"High school is meant to prepare you for adulthood. Well, even after all this time, I still don't feel ready to take on the world. I don't know if I will ever be ready. Ready or not, we are pushed out on our own. Luckily in today's society, there is help out there for those of us who are not ready to take on these challenges alone. Just a few decades ago, people weren't as fortunate. Those who didn't know what they were doing lived in poverty. They struggled just to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. Those people are the strongest and have survived so much that we probably can't even imagine. All the same, the things they struggled for are things we take for granted and don't even realize it. One of them being education. Anyone lucky enough to go to this school should be very thankful. It's true, we are teenagers and we hate school, but we need it. I think the most important thing that my time at Prep has taught me is that I can't always deal with things alone, no matter how much I try. I realized that asking for help isn't weakness, it's learning and making yourself a stronger person. Most of my life has depended on my strength, so thank you Prep for teaching me that I can ask for help and be strong at the same time. Because of this school, we can all have a great future. I guess the only thing left to say now is, good luck. Here's to a bright future!"

I sat back down and after the applause, it was time to celebrate.

"Congratulations! You have all graduated!" the principal called before starting to clap.

As everyone else joined in, we threw our caps into the air. We all shared quick hugs and words of excitement.

And then just like that, freedom came raining down.

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**A/N: Ella is on her way out! There are going to by exactly fifty chapters in this story. Just two more left before we get on to the sequel! Don't forget to vote for this story on Energize W.I.P Awards. Voting is from July 13th to July 20th, so please vote! More information and the link is posted on my profile. PM me with any questions or suggestions. My poll for Renesmee's love has closed. Visit my profile for the results and information on that as well. Lastly, the most number of reviews I have received for a chapter is five. Let's see if we can up that number! Beat the record! Please review, and thanks for reading! :)**


	49. Chapter 49

**A/N: Voting is open today! Please go vote for this story. Information and the link to the website are posted on my profile. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I'm running out of ideas again.**

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**CHAPTER 49:**

**CARLISLE'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Ella's graduation ceremony brought tears to my eyes. It reminded me that I would be losing her soon. She wouldn't be under my roof anymore. I was losing a child. All the other kids' graduations didn't make me quite as sad, because I knew that they wouldn't be gone anytime soon. My only hope was that Ella would decide to move to Connecticut with us.

"I did it Daddy! I really did it!" Ella squealed, running over to me with her diploma in hand. For a moment, I saw that little eight-year-old girl.

"Congratulations Baby Girl!" I said to her, catching her in my arms when she bounded over.

I held her for a little bit longer than she liked, but I didn't care. She was my daughter, and she was going to have to deal with it for the next month. I felt like crying all over again. Today was the seventeenth of May, and I only had thirty-one days left with her. Thirty-one days. I reminded myself that she didn't have a plan yet, so she could be at home for a longer period of time. That would be perfectly fine with me.

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

When I was finally able to make Dad let go of me, I was greeted with another set of arms; Alec's. We shared a quick, but very meaningful kiss. While I hugged Mom, out of the corner of my eye I saw Dad patting Alec on that back and congratulating him. I felt like jumping for joy. It was huge that Dad was giving him positive attention. It's not like Alec's own parents were here. I even saw Alec smile when Mom hugged him. It was great that he was building a relationship with my parents.

By the time we got home I was exhausted. Dad was worried that I might be coming down with something, but I lied and said that I didn't sleep well the previous night and was just tired. He let me go, but his face was creased with worry.

I had been feeling very tired lately. I had also been getting headaches, and occasionally throwing up. I was also getting to be very thin, which wasn't good because I was barely at a healthy weight as it was. The thing that freaked me out the most was the fact that I had no idea what caused it. Since I was eating healthy and getting exercise, I should be perfectly fine, but this was really confusing. What was happening?

It then occurred to me. Cocaine. I was starting to see the side effects. Dad was already noticing a change in my behavior. What if he found out? Would he send me to rehab? No, he couldn't. In a month I would be eighteen, and he didn't have any control over me. But there were twenty-eight day rehabs, what if he found out and sent me to one of those? I started to panic. Was I addicted? No, no I couldn't be. Not that quickly. But it was true, I can't go more than twenty-four hours without a dosage or I can't function. Was there really no hope for me? Was I one of _those _people?

I scrambled for my phone and hit Alec's number. He picked up on the fourth ring.

"Hey, it's almost ten-thirty, what's up?" he asked.

"I need you to come over. Right now," I said quietly.

"Why?"

"I need to talk to you," I said.

"Why can't you just talk to me now?" he asked.

"Because I need to see you! Just, please, come over," I begged.

"All right, all right, I'm on my way. Do I need to pick something up from a store or something?" he asked.

"No, just get over here. I'll be waiting by the door," I said.

"Okay, see you in twenty," he said.

"Bye," I said. I already heard his motorcycle start up.

I ran down the stairs and waited anxiously by the door.

"What are you doing Ella? I thought you were in bed," Dad said, coming up behind me.

"Alec's coming over for a little bit," I told him.

He checked his watch. "At ten-thirty?"

"Look, I know that you don't like it to be this late, but I just need him for whatever reason, can you trust that?" I asked.

He sighed. "All right. I can tell that you're upset. If you need comfort and Alec is that comfort, I won't say no. He's not staying the night, is he?"

"I don't know. Would that be okay?" I asked, batting my eyelashes.

He thought for a moment. "Yes, as long as you two stay here and he sleeps on one of the couches in your bedroom."

I rolled my eyes. "Dad, we've already slept in the same bed. Besides, he wouldn't try anything."

"My house, my rules," Dad said sternly. "Otherwise he's not staying at all."

"All right, fine," I gave in. I sounded pretty grouchy.

"Lose the tone or it's off. I give you what you want – even though I don't like it – and this is what I get for doing that? I didn't even hear a thank you," he said.

"I shouldn't have to thank you. He's my boyfriend." I paused. "And besides, I'll be eighteen in a month, and then everything you say will go out the other ear. Looks like you'll have one less life to dictate," I spit at him.

He flinched, and then the most hurt and confused look came into his eyes. "What is _wrong_ with you?"

He walked away, up the stairs toward his study. I heard the door slam. I felt horrible, Dad never slammed doors. I was just about to go to him when Mom stopped me.

"He's upset right now, let him be. Try talking to him tomorrow," Mom said with a worried look.

"You're right. He probably doesn't want to even see me right now. Can you just tell him that I said I'm sorry, and that I didn't mean it?" I asked.

"Of course," she said.

Alec showed up fifteen minutes later.

"Thank God you're here," I said, throwing my arms around his neck.

He leaned down and hugged me back. "Is something wrong, Buttercup?"

"Yeah, but can we go to my room and talk?" I asked.

He nodded. We hurried up the stairs to my room. I sat down on my bed and he sat next to me.

"I'm different," I said.

"Different?" he asked. "What do you mean 'different'?"

"I'm more tired than usual, I'm getting bad headaches and throwing up, I'm getting thinner, and I'm crabby. There's something wrong with me," I said, echoing my dad's words.

"You might be getting sick. Have you been doing anything that might be compromising your immune system?" he said, raising his eyebrows like he already knew the answer and wanted to see if I would admit it.

"Drugs," I whispered.

"Exactly. This what happens when you become addicted," he said.

"I'm not addicted!" I insisted quietly.

"Ella, you've been doing different types of drugs for almost a year now. It only takes a few weeks at most to become addicted," he said.

"But, but you do them too, and you don't act like this," I said.

He sighed. "Ella, that's because I'm taking something entirely different."

"What?" I asked.

"Heroin," he said, so quietly that I could barely hear him. "The side effects are there, but they happen on the inside. No one could ever tell. The only thing visible is the exhaustion."

"I need that," I said.

"No! No you don't. God, I should have never told you. It's worse than Cocaine. You are NOT going to take it," he said strongly.

"You don't get to tell me what I can and can't do," I snapped. "Is our relationship going to be controlled by you? If it is, then we're done."

He seemed taken aback. His face looked as if his heart was about to break into a million pieces. I realized what I'd just said.

"Alec, I am so sorry. I didn't mean that at all. I just . . . I don't know," I said.

"It's all right. I'm not trying to control you, Ella. I just don't want you to throw your life away," he said sadly. "But since it's what you want, I will give you it. If I don't, you'll do it anyway."

He pulled an object out of the inside pocket of his leather jacket. I recognized it as a capped syringe.

"What is that?" I asked worriedly.

"Heroin. You do want it, right? I don't want to pressure you into it," he said.

"I do want it. It's just . . . does it have to be given that way?" I asked nervously.

"Yes. Here, now give me your arm," he said.

I hesitantly stuck out my arm. He grabbed it just under my elbow. He took the cap off the needle with his teeth and pushed down on the inside of my elbow with his thumb. He stuck the needle in and I hissed. The drug entered me, and I already felt different . . . in a good way. I felt like I was floating. I didn't feel stressed or crabby anymore, and I was . . . happy.

"There. That's what you're going to have to do every day for the rest of your life if you get addicted and refuse to get help. Are you sure you want me to give you some?" he asked.

"Yes, I feel so totally normal and happy now," I said.

"Fine. Here." He handed me three syringes from his pocket. "This is all I have on me, but I'll get more and bring them by. Hide them."

I quickly hid them with my Cocaine. One of the capsules of Cocaine fell out.

"Oh yeah, don't take that anymore," Alec said.

I sat back down on the bed. I glanced down at my bleeding arm. "What, no Band-Aid?"

"You can have a Band-Aid," he said. "If you want to try to explain that one to your father."

"Good point," I said. I grabbed a tissue and pressed that to my arm instead.

"My dad said that you can stay the night, if you want," I told him.

"I would love to. Let me guess, I have to sleep on the couch, don't I?"

I giggled. "Yes. How did you know?"

He smirked. "I'm getting to know your parents."

"I think they're really starting to like you."

"I like them too. They kinda make up for what I don't have."

"My mom would hug you to death if she heard you say that," I said.

There was a knock on my door.

"Come in!" I called.

Dad poked his head in. "Could you two come downstairs? Esme and I would like to talk to you both."

Alec and I shared a look. Did they know?

"Okay," I said, getting up and following him downstairs to the living room.

Mom was already sitting on the couch, and Dad sat down beside her. Alec and I sat on the couch across from them. Mom had a smile on her face, so I didn't think that we were in trouble. That was a huge relief. I was worried that they had heard.

"Sorry to bother you two, but Carlisle and I were just talking about the future. Since you two are obviously in love and will not be separated," Mom smiled, "we were wondering what your plan was."

"Or if you had a plan at all," Dad added.

Alec and I looked at each other.

"Well . . ." I began.

"Perhaps you should know our plan first," Dad said.

I nodded.

"The seven of us are moving to New Haven, Connecticut. I got a job offer there at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Alec, I understand that you are going through medical school. I'm sure that you could get into Yale to finish, it is a very good school. Ella, since you do not have a college plan yet, maybe you could apply. There are also many great schools in that area. Even in bordering states. You two are both welcome to come with and stay with us until you both finish school and have steady jobs and are ready to get a place of your own," Dad offered.

Alec and I shared a look again.

"Dr. and Mrs. Cullen, the offer is very generous, but Ella and I have actually talked about this a little." Alec looked at me to take over.

"Mom, Dad, we appreciate the offer very much, but as Alec said, we are coming up with a plan of our own. Alec has one year left of med school, and I don't know what I'm going to do yet, but he wants to do his residency at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. His grandmother lives in San Francisco. We're going to stay with her while he finishes school at Stanford. To sum it up, we're planning on moving to California," I said.

It was silent for a long moment.

"California?" Dad choked.

I nodded. "It's where we both want to go."

"That's three thousand miles away!"

"I know, and I'm sorry. But –"

"Alec, I will get you into Yale. I can get you a residency at the hospital. I will get you your own clinic, if that is what you want. I will fly your grandmother out to Connecticut and get her a house or she can stay with us. Ella, I can get you into a tremendous college. Please –"

"Dad, stop. This is what we want to do. We have our plan, and we want to put it into action. We can take turns flying back and forth, or we can get a vacation house where we can meet up for holidays. It's not like we're moving to a different country. It'll work out," I said. Dad looked like he was about to cry.

"Does it have to be so far away?" Mom asked.

I nodded. "Like I said, it's what we want to do."

"When are you leaving?" Dad asked.

Alec and I shared yet another look. It was as if we were talking with our eyes.

"Soon after Ella turns eighteen. As soon as I contact my grandmother and we can get all of our stuff together," Alec answered.

"So soon," Dad whispered sadly.

I got up and moved to Dad's lap. I let him hold me and looked him in the eyes.

"Dad, you know you can't hang onto me forever," I said.

"I know," he whispered in despair.

"I'll miss you, but we'll see each other on holidays. Seriously, we'll visit so much that you'll get sick of us. I'm not gone yet so, please, don't be sad. I don't want to spend my last month at home with you being all sad and mopey," I said.

"This is just hard news to take," he said.

After giving him one last hug, I went back over to Alec. My parents put their heads together and cried.

"Let's go," I said to Alec. We walked back to my room.

"They didn't take that very well," he said.

"No, they definitely didn't. That was just telling them about it. Wait till it actually happens."

We both sighed.

Time passed quickly, and now there was only one week until my birthday. Until I left home. Reality was really starting to hit me. Alec had spoken to his grandmother, and she was very fond of the plan. She was excited to meet me, and I was excited to meet her as well. I wondered if she was as great as Alec said she was. The way he spoke of her made her sound like a very wonderful person. My room was littered with huge boxes. Everything was coming with me and going into storage until Alec and I got a house of our own. It wasn't just my room that was covered with boxes either; the whole house was. They weren't in such a rush to move. Dad's last day at Seattle Hospital was June thirtieth, so they still had some time. Alice was helping me pack.

"So, are you sad about me moving so far away?" I asked her.

"Yes, of course! But I understand that you're older and you need to figure your life out. We got as much time with you as possible, but it's time for you to go. I'm not too overly sad, it's not like we'll never see each other again," she said.

"See, now why can't Dad and Mom think like that? It would just be so much easier on me if they weren't following me around with tissues to their eyes. Seriously, enough is enough," I ranted.

She giggled. "This is why none of us have ever tried to get a place of our own."

"If I would've known that they would react like this, I would've waited till five minutes before we left and been like "Oh, by the way, we're moving three thousand miles away. See you later."

"Well, don't tell them, but all of us are actually thinking about getting little places of our own. We're staying on the East Coast, but we all want houses of our own. Edward and Bella are getting a house in Connecticut, not too far away from Mom and Dad, Rosalie and Emmett are going to New York, and Jasper and I found a cute little house in Maryland," she said.

"That's going to kill them. Could wait till _after_ I move out to tell them?" I asked.

She giggled and nodded. "Already planned on it."

"I kind of feel bad for moving so far away," I said as I taped up another box and wrote CLOTHES on it.

"Don't. It's your life and you can do what you want. You said so yourself when you were younger. Mom and Dad just become super attached to their kids. It makes you realize how much they love us. If you think about it, neither of them had very loving parents. They try to give us what they never had. They aren't perfect, but they do a pretty damn good job. Why do you think all of us adults have stayed with them for the past seven decades?"

"Because Edward's only seventeen and not legally an adult and therefore cannot move out without parental permission which they will never grant him?"

Alice laughed so hard she had to sit down as she folded my clothes. "No, but now that he's with Bella he'll officially have adult supervision." That got us going again.

"I heard that," he said, standing with his arms folded in the doorway.

"Just think, in a week, I'm gonna be older than you. You won't be able to call me 'Lil' Sis' anymore," I said with a giggle.

"I hate you," he said and walked away.

"Whatever you say, Little Bro!" I called.

Alice grabbed another bin out of my closet. Something clattered to the floor. She picked it up.

"What are these?" she asked, holding up my box of filled syringes.

"Oh." Shit. "That's Insulin. Alec has diabetes. He just wanted to leave some here in case he forgot his and needed it," I lied smoothly.

"Oh," she said, putting the box down and carrying the bin over to an open space on the floor.

Crap, that had been close. I really didn't want anyone to know that I was an addict. I'd tried so hard to keep it a secret, and I'd hate for just one little slipup to ruin everything. Everyone would be so disappointed in me.

"You never used these," Alice said.

I looked over my shoulder so see what she was talking about. It was the multiple boxes of crazy hair color that she had gotten me for my first Christmas with my family.

"Yeah, I kinda forgot about them to be honest," I said.

"Are you ever going to use them?" she wondered.

"Yes. If Alec ever pisses me off I'm going to dye his hair pink in his sleep," I said.

"Good plan. Jasper's lucky he doesn't sleep," Alice said with a small frown.

"Saves him from unexpected makeovers," I said.

"Damn it all," she said.

I smiled. I really loved this time that I was spending with her.

"You know, I'm really going to miss this. I won't be able to hang out with you, Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, Edward, and Bella as much. I've rarely spent any time with Bella as it is," I said, suddenly feeling guilty. I knew that Bella loved me too.

She smiled. "I'm sure you two will become very close. She was human not too long ago, so she will understand whatever things that may go on in your life. If anything's ever hard, maybe you'll be able to talk to her about it. She will be better to talk to than any of us because she remembers a lot about her human life."

"Thanks for all your help Alice. Everything's packed except for my necessities. Dad already got my car shipped off to San Francisco, and all furniture except my bed is in a storage unit near L.A." I said.

"Okay," she said, and left my room.

I flopped down into bed. Gosh, I was so tired. Angel hobbled over to my bed and after a few attempts was able to hop up and lay next to me. She was getting to be very old, and was going to be put to sleep and the end of the month. My parents would take care of her until then. It was sad to think that my best childhood friend was going to die, but there was nothing I could do.

I turned onto my side and closed my eyes. I fell asleep quickly, with my best friend right at my feet.

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**A/N: Second to last chapter! Please go vote for this story. The link to the website is in the NOTIFICATIONS section of my profile. Voting is July 13th through the 20th, so that means it's open today! I have the final chapter of this story and the first chapter of the sequel all typed and ready to post. I will post both of them in the same day if I can get my number of reviews to reach 100! So that means just 9 reviews and you get to read the final chapter of this story and the first chapter of The Princess Becomes The Queen all in the same day! I know there's more than nine of you out there! Thanks for reading, and please review and vote. I'd appreciate it very much! :)**


	50. Chapter 50

**A/N: I am so sorry for the wait. My internet quit working, so I wasn't able to update. Thank you for one hundred reviews! Also, I fixed the link to the voting site now, so it should work. Please vote if you haven't already! Enjoy the last chapter!**

**Disclaimer: The final one for this story. I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT!**

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**CHAPTER 50:**

**ELLA'S POINT OF VIEW:**

My room looked like a ghost town. The only thing that was in it was my bed, which was now just a mattress. All of my posters, furniture, and clothes were on the road to San Francisco, California. I had less than twenty-four hours left at home. It was six o'clock now, and Alec and I would be at the airport by one o'clock tomorrow afternoon since our flight left at three. Time was suddenly passing too quickly.

I paced the house, running my fingers across the walls. I relived memories from every room. Baking for the first time in the kitchen, playing Mario Kart with my siblings in the living room, the puppet show in the basement, family meetings around the kitchen table, the front door where I'd first met everybody. All these memories took over my mind. It was like the scene playing out right in front of my eyes, except nothing was there.

Finally I came to Dad's study, which had been both my haven and my hell throughout the years. Most importantly, it was where I felt the most connected to my father. His scent and comfort was on everything. I went downstairs and stood in the living room. It was the center of the house and you could see everything if you looked up. I remembered flipping off the railing from four floors above, scaring my dad because I almost missed the couch. I felt like crying knowing that I may never see this place again. My parents weren't selling it, but they would only be able to return long after I was dead, to again start a new life.

"Dad?" I said. He was in his study finishing up his resignation papers.

"What is it, Sweetheart?" he asked, looking up from his work.

"Well, I was wondering if . . . if . . . if you would please let me sleep in your arms tonight. I'm going to miss you, a lot, and I went to spend every last second with you," I said, tears dripping down my face.

He stood up and walked over to me. He wrapped his arms tightly around me and kissed my cheek. I started sobbing. I wasn't ready to leave my family, but I had to, and I knew that deep down I truly wanted to. I just wasn't easy.

"Shh, Honey, of course. No matter how old you are, you will always be my little girl and I will take you into my arms every chance I get. You never have to ask. I've told you that before and that answer will stay the same forever. I love you more than you could ever know," he said.

"I wish we weren't going to be so far away from each other," I cried.

"I know. It hurts me too," he said. I could feel ice cold tears dripping into my hair.

"I'm going to miss this house," I sobbed.

"I think everyone will. The house in Connecticut is almost exactly like this one, except the new one is only three stories and is more rectangular than square. And it's not quite as open. It's a quiet neighborhood, but we actually have neighbors. A first for us," Dad said.

"Neighbors?" I questioned.

"There weren't very many options. The houses are far apart and we're in a cul-de-sac, but there are people near us. We still have a huge yard, though. Bigger than this one. You're going to have to see it," he said giving me a meaningful look.

"I told you we'd visit as much as possible," I reminded him.

"Somehow it seems that it won't be enough," he said.

"Yes, but there's Christmas, New Years, Easter, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and my birthday, so we'll be seeing each other at least four times a year, probably more," I said.

"Go to sleep, I don't want to think about it anymore," Dad said, sitting down with me cradled in his arms.

I fell asleep quickly. When I woke up, my childhood would be over.

"HAPPY EIGHTEENTH BIRTHDAY ELLA!"

I shot to my feet. I was still in Dad's study, and my entire family was standing in front of me with huge smiles on their faces. Well, at least my siblings had smiles, my parents were in tears.

"Happy birthday Beautiful," I voice greeted me, followed by a warm embrace.

"Alec?"

"Right here, Angel," he said.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Almost eleven," Dad answered after checking his watch.

"Crap! We have to leave in two hours! You guys should have woken me up," I said.

"We just did," Emmett said.

I gave him a look. "I meant earlier."

"Don't worry Dear. We have just enough time to give you your present and send you on your way. After millions of hugs, of course," Mom said, wiping her eyes.

I got dressed as quickly as I could. I didn't want to waste any time away from everyone. Once I was ready for the soon-to-be-very-busy day, I rushed down the stairs into the dining area where everyone was waiting.

I was surprised at how decked out the place was. They were moving soon too, so I figured that they wouldn't want to complicate things any more than necessary. I must have forgotten that Alice was my sister, and that she wouldn't be able to have a party without streamers and balloons and all that crap.

There was even a cake.

"Thanks guys. I feel special," I said, trying not to tear up.

"That's because you are special," Dad said, kissing my forehead. "You will always have a special place in our hearts."

"Aw come on, please don't make me cry," I said, wiping my eyes.

"There isn't anyone in this room who hasn't cried," Rosalie said, fixing her mascara.

"I haven't," Edward said toughly.

Everyone turned to look at him. Just then, he burst into tears. "I'm going to miss you so much Ella!" He came over to give me a tight hug.

"Baby," Rosalie muttered.

After eating our fair share of cake, Alec and I decided that it was time to go.

"Wait!" Mom said. "You still need to open your gift."

Dad handed me a closed envelope. I tore it open and took out the item inside.

It was a check.

For ten _million_ dollars.

"Is this a joke?" I asked, turning the rectangular piece of paper around in my hands.

"It'll last you until you are both able to get jobs to support yourselves. You really think that I would let you move across the country with barely any money in your pockets?" Dad said.

"Thank you so much," I said, hugging him. "I don't know what to say."

"I do. Spend it wisely. And please, Sugar Plum Princess, be safe. I love you," he said.

After a twenty minute goodbye, Alec and I had to go.

"I can't believe it's over. My childhood is over!" I said to him.

"Yes, but it's the start of adulthood," he said as we rode in the back of a taxi to the airport.

"It just feels like time passed so quickly. Too quickly," I said.

We barely caught our flight in time. It was only a two hour flight from here to San Francisco, which was nice. Everyone knows how much I hate long flights. Two hours is long enough.

The plane took off, and it was time to begin our new life.

**CARLISLE'S POINT OF VIEW:**

Seeing Ella go broke my heart. It felt like the chain that connected us was being sawed into two. In my heart, she was just this innocent little eight-year-old girl. In reality, she was a grown woman who was moving on to bigger things. I can't explain how much it hurts. It's like piece of my heart has been taken out of my body. A big piece.

Everyone had gone inside a while ago, but I was still standing outside, waiting for the car to come back and for her to come running into my arms. I had to keep reminding myself that she wasn't a child anymore, but it wasn't easy to except. If it were up to me, I'd love to forget.

"Don't be sad Daddy, you still have me," a small voice chimed.

I turned to see my other little girl standing on the steps. Tears welled up in my eyes as I thought of losing her too.

"Come here," I told her.

She jumped into my arms, almost knocking me backward. I crushed her to my chest and buried my face in her short pixie hair. It made me realize how much I had ignored my other five children while I was raising Ella. That wasn't fair to them. All was not lost. Hopefully I can rekindle the relationship that I neglected with my other children.

I started walking with Alice in my arms. I heard that everyone was in Ella's room. I climbed the stairs and found all four of them there.

"Where's Esme?" I asked.

"She went shopping. Apparently this room needs furniture," Edward said.

I put Alice down and she skittered over to Jasper. She gave me a big smile, already knowing what I was about to say.

"There is something I need to tell the five of you," I said.

Alice sat down on the bed. The rest of them copied her, all sitting and facing me. I began to pace in front of them.

"Are we in trouble?" Rosalie asked.

I stopped. "Of course not. Unless any of you have done something that I am not aware of," I said, looking each of them in the eye. All of them looked innocent, except Emmett, who squirmed a little under my gaze.

"Anyway, I want to apologize sincerely for neglecting you these past years," I began.

"Daddy, you didn't –" Alice started. I held up a hand.

"Yes I did, and you know it. Now please let me finish," I said. "These past years, I have been solely focused on Ella, and that wasn't fair to all of you. I love you all the same, but I didn't give you the same amount of attention. If any of you had any doubts, I love you all. Ella took up so much of my time because she was young and growing. It's not an excuse, but it's true. Now that Ella is out on her own, I am going to do my best to give each and every one of you the attention you need. Please children, forgive me for being so ignorant."

"Dad, you didn't neglect us," Rosalie said. "We understand that you were busy with Ella. She was a child and needed more nurturing than we do. None of us have had any doubts. We know how much you love us. You haven't treated us unfairly. And sometimes when you tried to give us attention, we ignored it and did our own thing. Carlisle, you're the best father anyone could ever have. You love us unconditionally, even with all the shit we put you through. You saved us, and welcomed Alice and Jasper into the family without hesitation. You aren't perfect, but you're perfect to us."

All of them nodded in agreement. Tears dripped down my face. That was the most touching thing I had ever heard in my life. They all surrounded me in a hug. I cried and clutched onto them. At that moment, it didn't matter that Esme hadn't given birth to them, it didn't matter that I hadn't known any of them until their teenage years. These children were my flesh and blood.

"Aw Dad, don't get all soppy on us," Edward said, reading my mind.

"I can't help it. You are the most perfect kids, and I mean it," I said.

"Does that mean I'm not in trouble?" Emmett asked, looking up at me with a little boy grin.

I sighed. "What did you do exactly?"

"I . . . may have gotten arrested for public annoyance. Rose bailed me out though," he admitted.

I closed my eyes. "Unconditional love," I reminded myself.

I heard Esme return.

"I would like to spend some time with your mother, but can I get a hug before I go?" They all hugged me, and I gave Emmett a kiss on his cheek.

"Ew!" he shrieked, wiping off his face. "Pops!"

"That's for getting into trouble," I said.

Esme came in the door. She gripped my elbow.

"Can you all leave please? I need to talk to your father," she said.

She waited until they all left before shutting the door and turning to me.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"Look what I found under Ella's bed when I was cleaning," she said, pulling a filled syringe out of her purse.

With my forehead creased, I took it from her. I uncapped it and squirted some of the liquid onto my hand. I held it to my face. I felt very sick at that moment.

"What?" she asked, taking in my facial expression.

"It's heroin."

* * *

**A/N: I know you're anxious to read the new story, but please review! And don't forget to vote! I also want to say a huge thank you to Linneagb, who has sort of been my unofficial beta for this story. You rock girl! Thanks for reading, and please read the sequel!**


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